Class 




35"0 5- 






COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



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THE KING'S 
CUPBEARER 

AN HISTORICAL, MORALITY PLAY 

IN TWELVE CANTICLES 
BY 

AGNES CHALMERS 
it 



Published by 

THE CRESCENT PUBLISHERS, 

Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

U. S. A. 

Copyright, 1919, by Agnes Chalmers 
Grand Rapids, Michigan 



sep 26 lata 



h 



\ 



This booh is offered as an American's 
expression of gratitude to the King of 
Great Britain and Ireland and his valiant 
armies through whose unselfed service 
Jerusalem was restored December 9, 
1917, to the civilized world. 



52679 



AN EXPLANATION OF THE WRITING 
OF THIS PLAY 



THE POET AND HIS SONGS 



As the birds come in Spring 
We know not from where; 

As the stars come at evening 
From depths of the air; 

As the rain comes from the cloud 
And the brook from the ground 
As suddenly, low or loud, 
Out of silence a sound; 

As the grapes come to the vine 

The fruit to the tree; 
As the wind comes to ,the pine 

And the tide to the sea; 

As comes the white sails of ships 

O'er the ocean's verge; 
As comes the smile to the lips, 

The foam to the surge; 



So come to the Poet his songs, 

All hitherward blown 

From the misty realm that belongs 

To the vast unknown. 

******** 

For voices pursue him by day 

And haunt him by night, 
And he listens and needs must obey, 

When the Angel says : "Write !" 

— Longfellow. 



INTRODUCTION 

This play is designed to give to the world 
a simple lesson in honest building. No more 
appropriate words of introduction could be 
offered than Montaigne has given in describ- 
ing the value of the honest motive which 
should accompany all constructive work. 
" Tis an exact life," writes Montaigne, "that 
maintains itself in due order in private. 
Every one may juggle his part, and represent 
an honest man upon the stage; but within, 
and in his own bosom, where all may do as 
they list, where all is concealed, to be reg- 
ular — there's the point. The next degree is 
to be so in his house, and in his ordinary 
actions, for which we are accountable to 
none, and where there is no study nor arti- 
fice. And therefore Bias, setting forth the 
excellent state of a private family, says: 
'of which the master is the same within, by 
his own virtue and temper, that he is abroad, 
for fear of the laws and report of men.' And 
it was a worthy saying of Julius Drusus, 
to the masons who offered him for three 



thousand crowns to put his house in such a 
posture that his neighbors should no longer 
have the same inspection into it as before: 
'I will give you/ said he, 'six thousand to 
make it so that everybody may see into every 
room/ " 

If this play furnishes an opportunity to 
look more closely into our dwellings, and if, 
even in a degree, it enables "everybody" to 
"see into every room," "The King's Cup- 
bearer" shall thus have aided — somewhat — 
in the ultimate liberation of the human race. 



Agnes Chalmers 



Grand Rapids, Michigan. 
Thanksgiving, 1916. 



THE CAST 

Canticle I 
(In the order of their appearance) 
Hanani, brother of Nehemiah 
Messenger 
Second Messenger 
Nehemiah, the King's cupbearer 
Artaxerxes, King of Babylon 

(Military Aid) 
Sight — Intuition 
Touch — Gratitude 
Taste — Patience 
Smell — Charity 
Hearing — Wakefulness 

Canticle II 
(Previous Characters) 

Canticle III 
Eliashib, the High Priest 
Several Priests 
Men of Jericho 
Zaccur 

Sons of Hassenaah 
Meremotii, Meshullam, and Zadok 
Several Tekoites 
Jehoiada and Meshullam 
Melatiah and Jabon 
Uzziel and Haraniah 
Repaiah, Jedaiah, and Hattush 



THE CAST (continued) 

Malchijah and Hashub 

Shallum 

Daughters of Shallum 

Hanun 

Malchiah 

Rehum, Hashabiah, Bavia, and Ezer 

Baruch 

Meremoth 

Benjamin and Hashub 

Binnui and Palal 

The Nethinims and Tekoites 

Priests 

Zadok and Shemaiah 

Hananiah, Hanum, and Meshullam 

Goldsmiths and Merchants 

Eldest Daughter of Shallum 

Canticle IV 

Sanballat 

First Messenger 

Sensuality 

Geshem 

Second Messenger 

Shame 

Sleep 



THE CAST (continued) 

Canticle V 
(Previous Characters) 
Canticle VI 
Groups of Jews 
Shemaiah 
Wife of Shemaiah 
Hashub 
Binnui 
Previous Characters 

Canticle VII 
Pride of Achievement 
Human Recognition 
Shiftlessness 
Self-Pity 
Human Will 
Personality 
Ease 
Jealousy 
Idolatry 

Self-Righteousness 
Hurry 
Persecution 
Enemy 
Love of Money 

Canticle VIII 
Human Birth 
Maturity 



THE CAST (continued) 

Discouragement 
Death 
Desire-to-be- Alone 

Canticle IX 
Imps 

Ezra, the Scribe 
Tobiah 
Previous Characters 

Canticle X 
(Previous Characters) 
New Cupbearer 

Canticles XI and XII 
(Previous Characters) 



10 



THE KING'S CUPBEARER 



Historical Sketch 

The word, Nehemiah, is derived from the 
Hebrew, nek-hem-yaw, meaning "comforted 
of God." The word, Jerusalem, is from the 
Hebrew, yer-oo-shaw-lame, meaning founded 
peacefully, or, habitation of peace. "To be 
safe in mind, body and estate," one authority 
adds in defining Jerusalem. 

Nehemiah, the Jewish patriot, was Cup- 
bearer in the royal palace of Shushan during 
the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus. Dur- 
ing Nehemiah's term of service in the Per- 
sian Court, word came of the unfortunate 
condition of the children of Israel, the rem- 
nant, or returned colony, who dwelt unpro- 
tected in the unfortified city of Jerusalem. 
In this connection, it is of interest to recall 
that in the year 588 B. C, Nebuzaradan, a 
lieutenant under Nebuchadnezzer, razed to 
the ground the city of Jerusalem, its Temple 
and protecting walls. Moses had earlier pre- 
dicted that, if in the land of their captivity 
the children of Israel repented of their evil, 



the Holy City would again be restored to 
them and that they would then be able to re- 
joice in peace and safety within the pro- 
tection of its rebuilt fortifications. 

Nehemiah's sincere concern for the wel- 
fare of the captive Jews within the devas- 
tated "City of David" led him earnestly to 
request the King to give him a commission 
to go to Jerusalem and repair the demolished 
walls of the city. Having obtained this royal 
commission, the King's Cupbearer left the 
Persian Court, accompanied by a military es- 
cort, and reached Jerusalem B. C. 444, re- 
maining there until B. C. 432. 

During the first fifty-two days of the 
Prince's sojourn in Jerusalem, he rebuilt the 
city's wall, and although he was beset on 
all sides with discouragements and doubts, 
he faithfully continued his work until the 
fortifications were finished. During the proc- 
ess of the work on the walls, Nehemiah was 
persecuted unceasingly by the jealous gov- 
ernors of Samaria and the Plain region, San- 
ballat and Geshem and their accomplice, To- 
biah. In order to defeat the purpose of his 
scheming enemies, Nehemiah set a watch 
"against them day and night." He supplied 
his workers with both tools and weapons so 
that they might work with one hand and 

12 



with the other fight against the foe. 

This earnest Prince not only bore the 
mockery and abuse of those outside of the 
city but he likewise endured the condemna- 
tion of his own workmen who rebelled 
against the heavy tithes and cruel oppression 
of their rulers and nobles. 

After the completion of the wall, the peo- 
ple joyously realized that they truly under- 
stood for the first time the Law, when they 
heard the Bible read by Ezra, the Scribe. 

Although a solemn covenant had been 
made to "walk in God's law" by observing 
brotherly love, supporting the Temple, and 
avoiding inter-marriages with the heathen, 
after Nehemiah was called back to Babylon, 
all of these sacred vows were broken. In 
this connection it is interesting to note that 
historians give two views of this absence of 
Nehemiah from Jerusalem. Some writers are 
of the opinion that Nehemiah was called back 
to Babylon for punishment because of the ac- 
cusatory letters Sanballat and Geshem sent 
to Artaxerxes regarding the Cupbearer's de- 
sire, or ambition, rather, to become King of 
Jerusalem. Some writers are of the opinion 
that Nehemiah returned to the Persian Court 
in fulfillment of the promise he gave before 

13 



leaving Jerusalem. The view is here taken 
that Nehemiah was punished as a convict 
slave, doomed to hard labor in the quarries 
of Persia during his nine years' absence at 
the Court of Artaxerxes. 

The Smith-Peloubet Dictionary of the 
Bible states that "various stratagems" were 
"resorted to to get Nehemiah away from Jer- 
usalem, and if possible to take his life; but 
that which most nearly succeeded was the 
attempt to bring him into suspicion with the 
king of Persia, as if he intended to set him- 
self up as an independent king as soon as 
the walls were completed. The artful letter 
of Sanballat so far wrought upon Artaxerxes 
that he issued a decree stopping the work till 
further orders." 

After a nine years' sojourn at the Court of 
Artaxerxes, Nehemiah again returned to Je- 
rusalem. He vigorously ejected Eliashib and 
Tobiah from the Temple because of their at- 
tempt personally to own the Church which 
is destined to serve impersonally all mankind. 
This royal Cupbearer enforced the separa- 
tion of the mixed tribes from Israel, arranged 
for the reward of the singers and the Le- 
vites who had actually performed the work 
of reconstruction, and made provision for the 

14 



perpetual care and support of the Temple. 

In all these ways, Nehemiah, "The King's 
Cupbearer," acted much as all others act to- 
day whose desire is to build rather than to 
destroy. He knew that the practical and the 
ideal, the male and the female, must be for- 
ever united in the individual consciousness. 

Possibly history will not bear out the li- 
cense taken when the daughters* of Shallum 
are made to appear as actual workers on 
the walls of Jerusalem. The appearance of 
the daughters of Shallum as builders; and 
the five women, representing Intuition, Grat- 
itude, Patience. Charity, and Wakefulness co- 
incides with the tender womanly traits "The 
King's Cupbearer" manifested in all the lov- 
ing, motherly care he showed at all times 
for the welfare of the children of Israel. In 
his consistent desire to rebuild the waste 
walls of Jerusalem, and thus safeguard the 
remnant of the house of Israel, Nehemiah 
was, in reality, re-establishing for all time 
that quality of thought which Bernard Shaw 
designates as "an eternal womanly principle 
in the universe." Nehemiah's fearless de- 
nunciation of crafty malice in his fight 
against the governors of the Plain shows 
forth the courageous masculine traits of this 
Prince's noble character. Nehemiah fully 

15 



realized that strength and courage, patience 
and intuition must be truly manifested by 
one who would become an honest, construc- 
tive builder, and therefore stood earnestly by 
his work day by day. 



Note : "The Popular and Critical Bible En- 
cyclopedia" states — "We should 
naturally have expected the names 
of great religious teachers like Isa- 
iah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, etc., to be 
associated with some of the 
Psalms, and the fact that such is 
not the case tends to show that 
these hymns were either composed 
by members of the guilds of temple 
singers for the worship in the sec- 
ond temple, or that they were 
gathered by these priestly musi- 
cians after coming to expression 
here and there among the people." 
In quoting the Psalms in this 
play, it is with the thought that 
possibly some of these constructive 
songs of gratitude came into being 
when the waste walls of Jerusalem 
were rebuilt as a protection to the 
city and its temple. 

16 



No more fitting tribute was ever given than 
that which history has recorded of Nehe- 
miah, "The King's Cupbearer:" "His char- 
acter seems almost without a blemish." 



17 



PROLOGUE 

Description : Two Prologue speakers, Sight 
and Intuition, appear be- 
fore a curtain which por- 
trays two parallel paths 
winding up a mountain side. 

I One path is the way of hu- 

man experience, the other 
typifies the way of spiritual 

» discernment. The one path 

is beset with obstacles; the 
other winds upward with- 
out obstruction. Both paths 
converge in the distance. 
(The Prologue is spoken by 
Sight, a man; and by Intu- 
ition, a woman.) 

Sight 
My friends, you know him well, this man of 

good 
Who speaks to you tonight. Across the way, 
Perchance he dwells from you. Earth's 

brotherhood 
Comprises such as he. Yea, day by day, 
You meet him in the street, — the man who 

goes 



About his daily toil with hope and cheer, 
A loving worker, he who always knows 
The joy of building rightly in his task, — 
This is "The King's Cupbearer." None may 

-ask 
To know a nobler one than he who serves 
Mankind with just the duty of each hour. — 
This is "The King's Cupbearer" who deserves 
The merit Love bestows. Truth's strength 

and pow'r 
Be with each royal Cupbearer we meet, 
And pass to-day, upon life's surging street. 

Intuition 
We may be King's Cupbearer, 
As we go on our way, 
Serving the wine of heav'n, 
Loving all faithfully. 
The cup Love gives is patience; 
The wine, Truth understood. 
The King is Our God in heav'n, 
Guarding earth's brotherhood. 
Jerusalem is knowing 
Man is nor bond, nor free ; 
Blest City, ever sowing 
Seeds of true liberty. 
The wall we build is patience, 
Protecting men from wrong. 
The temple, Church about us ; 
Love's anthem, — work and song. 

20 



The new birth comes through proving 
Man is complete to-day. 
Watching and ever loving 
Lead to eternal day. 
Sanballat is sin's malice, 
The curse of peace and good ; 
Geshem,. hate's poison chalice, 
Drugging all those who stood 
Bravely through storm and sunlight, 
Ever through peace and war, 
Staunchly at dawn or midnight, 
Casting sin's curse afar; 
But ever God in heav'n 
Destroys the hand of fear, 
He who would stand is giv'n 
Strength to endure and bear. 
Dear Friends, may we be watchful 
To aid all on our way, — 
To build and to destroy not, 
Blest King, we watch and pray. 



("Sight and Intuition turn and walk some 
distance together. They finally separate, 
each to take a different path. Sight takes 
the rough path of human experience; In- 
tuition, the clear way of spiritual dis- 
cernment. In the dim distance, it may be 
seen that these two paths converge.) 



CANTICLE I 

Repentance, Doubt and Resolve 

Description : The scene is a richly appointed 
room in Shushan, the pal- 
ace, at the Persian Court of 
King Artaxerxes, in the 
year UU5 B. C. The hang- 
ings of the room are of 
white, green, and blue, fas- 
tened with cords of fine 
linen and purple to silver 
rings and pillars of marble. 
The several beds in the spa- 
cious room are draped in 
gold and silver. The floor 
is a pavement of red, and 
blue, and white, and black 
marble. 

Discovered : When the curtain divides, sev- 
eral messengers are discov- 
ered standing in the center 
of the room talking to Ha- 
NANl. They are engaged in 
earnest discussion. 
Hanani 
(sadly) 

There is no hope ; the eity desolate 

Now stands. 



23 



Messenger l 

Doth not one heed its direful fate? 
Hanani 
(wearily) 
No one repairs the city's shattered walls! 

Second Messenger 
Is no one mindful lest its fortress falls? 

Hanani 
The world has not awakened yet to see 
There is nor Greek, nor Gentile, bond nor 
free. 

Third Messenger 

Jerusalem is lost, yea, cast aside! 

Hanani 

(despairingly) 

The city which hath been adorned, the bride 

Of Life eternal ! 

(As these words are spoken, a stream of 
moonlight floods the room. Nehemiah 
is heard praying outside. The words are 
distinctly heard, although the speaker is 
not seen.) 

Nehemiah's Words 
"I beseech thee, Lord God of heaven, 
That keepeth covenant and mercy 
For them that love him and observe his com- 
mandments ; 
Let thine ear now be attentive, 
And thine eyes open, 

24 



That thou mayest hear the prayer of thy 

servant, 
Which I pray before thee now, day and night, 
For the children of Israel, thy servants, 
And confess the sins of the children of Israel 
Which we have sinned against thee; both I 
( The curtains at rear part, and Nehemiah 
slotvly enters. He is a very tall, dark man, 
wearing heavy black beard, without mus- 
tache. He is dressed in the robes of a 
royal cupbearer, olive green satin gar- 
ment ivith conventional design of' em- 
broidery, and a wide shoulder sash of 
royal purple.) 
And my fathers house have sinned." 

(Nehemiah I: 5, 6.) 
Nehemiah 
(earnestly addressing Hanani,) 
The Jews which have escaped, tell me, I pray, 
If they, left of captivity, are safe? 
Hanani 
(to Nehemiah,) 
They are in dire affliction, day by day, — 
In great reproach; the walls are broken 

down; 
Jerusalem in hazard stands ; its gates 
Are burning. 

Nehemiah 
(sitting down and weeping — to himself) 

25 



Before the God of heaven, grant my renown 

May come, alone, through building up these 
walls. 

Yea, every other task of mine must wait. 

("King Artaxerxes and the Queen enter, fol- 
lowed by a train of courtiers.) 

(The King and Queen ascend a miniature 

throne) 

The King 

Were it not pity, Cupbearer, that thou 

Shouldst seek to go about this thankless 
task? 

The captives in Jerusalem art now 

Endangered. 

If any grievous plague hath heav'n 

Through centuries it hath been freely giv'n 

To waste Jerusalem. 

(Nehemiah bows his head. He makes no an- 
swer. The King summons messengers 
and gives orders for a seven-day feast. 
Enter several messengers who offer all 
drink in various shaped vessels of gold. 
Royal wine is served in abundance. Ne- 
hemiah approaches the King's throne 
and silently kneels. He then arises and 
leaves the stage, L. During the festivities 
of wine drinking, in which all join save the 
King and Queen, Nehemiah again en- 
ters, bearing two jewelled cups of wine, 



brimming full. He presents these to the 
King and Queen.) 

(to NehemiahJ 
Thou art not sick 

Answer me, is this but sorrow of thine heart? 
Nehemiah 
(kneeling and kisHng King's hand) 
0, King, live thou forever: 
(sadly) 
If I had 
The gift of tongues, I might then tell to thee 
The plight of those who in captivity 
Now wait within Jerusalem. The place 
Of all my fathers' sepulchres lies waste; 
The very gates are now consumed with fire. 

The King 
(according Nehemiah permission to arise, 

Nehemiah stands before the King) 
For what doth thou then make request? 

Nehemiah 
(with hand uplifted, addressing the King,) 

Higher 
Than heav'n, let this, my prayer, ascend. 
I pray thee, King, 

Send me, that I may wisely build and mend 
Those broken walls. 

(The King turns and addresses the Queen, 
who is seated beside him on the raised 
dias.) 

27 



The King 

(questioningly) 
How long his absence, Queen? When shall 

we sing 
Of his return? 

(Both King and Queen drain to the dregs 
the cups Nehemiah has brought. They 
return the empty cups to the Cupbearer, 
who places them on table, R. Nehemiah 
again stands before the King and 
Queen.,) 

The Queen 
(to the King; 
We shall not miss him 
(kindly glancing toward Nehemiah,) 
if he can rebuild 
Those walls that lieth desolate. Stilled 
Shall our sorrow be till he return. 

Nehemiah 
(Stepping forward and kissing the hands of 
the King and Queen, as he kneels before 
them) 
I set a time to come ; it shall be when 
The waste walls of my thought are built. 

Yea, then 
I shall return. Forget not that I go 
Forth but to struggle with one deadly foe — 
Destructive self — the self that rends, indeed, 
All else save its own whims. 

28 



King, I may need letters to governors. 
(King gives Nehemtah permission to arise. 
As Nehemiah rises, the King hastily 
whispers directions to scribes regarding 
letters. The scribes withdraw to one side 
and take from drawer documents which 
they present to the King.) 
The King 
(receiving the papers and handing them to 
the Queen) 
(to Nehemiah,) 
My son, go forth, 

And prove to all the world the mighty worth 
Of building rightly. 

The Queen 
God bless these messages,, and grant the way 
Is opened through each word to higher way 
Of peace. 

(hands letters to the King,) 
The King 
(Beckoning to five men in military garb, who 
are waiting quietly at one side. The men 
approach the King, give military salute, 
and kneel.) 

(to Nehemiah; 
I summon officers to go with thee, — 
This military aid 

(pointing to men and giving them the signal 
to arise. They all arise.) 

29 



God grant they be 
Faithful to service, willing to obey, 
And ever watchful lest thou falPst the prey 
Of foe. 

Sight 
(Stepping forward and warmly shaking 
hands with Nehemiah, peering into his 
face and looking everywhere about.) 
Ah, look ! My name is Sight. I'll try 
To see for thee. 

Hearing 
(listening — to Nehemiah,) 
Hark! I am Hearing. I 
Will hear for thee. 

Touch 

(touching everything and bowing 

— to Nehemiah; 

My name is Touch. I do 
Discern all things. 

Taste 
(tasting wine, proudly— to Nehemiah) 
My name is Taste. I, too, 
Teach thee discernment and delight, — a taste 
Of better things. 

Smell 
(sniffing the air — to Nehemiah) 
My name is Smell. 

(with importance) 

30 



I waste 
All time on niceties. 

Nehemiah 
(sizing up the men, disapprovingly) 
Are these, my King, 
The best thou hast? 

The King 
(to Nehemiah, eager to explain) 
They are trained. 

Nehemiah 
(disapprovingly — to King) 
I would fling 
Their training all aside if I might be 
Protected by my better self. 
The King 
(regarding the five men sadly 
— to Nehemiah) 

I know 
(shaking his head) 
Just what thou fear'st, and, yet, no earthly 

foe 
Is conquered without them. 
Nehemiah 
(as if he ivould reject the aid of the men) 
And, yet, to me 

These soldiers stand for trained hypocrisy. 
(Nehemiah draws back from the five men 
who crowd about him. They endeavor to 
stand as his body guard.) 

si 



No conquest save the conquest over each 
And every one of them! 

(sadly regarding the five men) 

No vict'ry won 
Save by self's transformation! 
(to the five men) 

Friends, to reach 
My better self, I must discard, indeed. 
All that thou cherisheth. 

The King 
(in a quandary — to himself) 
I am perplexed ! 

The Queen 
(eagerly, to King) 

King, grant that I may say 
One word of peace. 

(indicating the five men) 

These men in higher form 
Have oft appeared to keep our Court from 
harm. 

(to Nehemiah, with deep conviction) 
They can protect thee; if thou wouldst but 

see 
Their true selves, they will help to set thee 
free. 

Nehemiah 
(to King and Queen) 
If they 

(indicating five men) 

32 



have higher form, blest Queen and King, 
I trust them, then, to guard from suffering 
Thy servant. 

(bowing and indicating himself) 

Sight 

(proudly, to Nehemiah) 

I have been trained everywhere 
To gain my present worth. I go, my friend, 
With thee. 

Nehemiah 
(again shrinking back from the five men as 

if he could not go with them — to Sight) 
Thou speakest proudly, Sir, I dare 
Not enter with thee in this task I do. 
• Sight 
(eagerly to Nehemiah) 
If I should reach a greater height, renew 
My better self, wouldst thou then go with 
me? 

Nehemiah 
(to Sight) 
Assured, indeed, that I could never see 
Aught but the real through thee, I, then, 

shouldst go 
With thee, Sir Sight, to conquer alien foe. 
Sight 
(to Nehemiah) 
Then I shall stay with thee, for thou may'st 
need 



My presence as thou conquer'st form and 
creed. 

Hearing 

(stepping forward, convincingly 

— to Nehemiah) 

Have I not heard for thee in days long past ? 

Nehemiah 
(peering long into Hearing's face, as if rec- 
ognizing an undesirable acquaintance) 
Yea, oft'times heard; I've oft'times wished 

thou had'st 
Not heard 

(covering his ears with his hands as if to 
shut out unpleasant sounds) 

The jarring noises of the fast 
Revolving centuries ! 

(as if brushing all noise aside) 

Would, I might cast 
Their shrieking woes aside! 
(weeps) 
Hearing 
(pleadingly, to Nehemiah) 

Friend, truly, I 
Will stand for perfect hearing; I will try 
To put down self. 

Nehemiah 
(testingly—-to Hearing) 

Nor hear of foe nor friend 
Aught but the best? 

34 



(Hearing nods assent) 

Then, come! 
Touch 
(stepping forward and addres- 
sing Nehemiah) 

I, too, wouldst lend 
Thee faithful service. 

Nehemiah 
(to Touch) 
Yea, I know that thou 
Hast wrought good oft'times, yet thy judg- 
ments now 
Are biased. 

Touch 

(proudly, to Nehemiah) 

I, friend, am trained to serve. Trust me! 

Smell 

(advancing and addressing Nehemiah) 

And I will warn thee when thou need'st to be 

On guard 

Taste 
(hastily, to Nehemiah) 
I gladly tell thee what is good. 
Nehemiah 
(looking at the five men, sadly) 
And yet, not one of you have understood! 
All 
(incredulously) 
Not one of us has understood? 

35 



(to the five men) 

Not one 
Was ever credited with vict'ry won, — 
Not in thy present forms. 'Tis very true 
Thou art well trained to serve; yea, there 

are few 
Thine equals ! Still, thou art so incomplete 
I dare not go with thee! 

(drawing back) 

I dare not meet 
— With just thine aid, alone, — I dare not go — 
With thee alone — to conquer self, the foe 
That doth resist the longest. 
(loudly) 
Men, awake 
Thy better selves. 

The King 
(to Nehemiah) 
Our Queen says they have better selves. 
(indicating men) 
I know 
She truly speaks; thou may'st safely go 
With these five, well-trained men. 
The Queen 
(indicating men) 

They always take 
On higher forms whenever the command 
Is giv'n. 

S6 



The Five Men 
(together) 
We offer as a pledge our hand, 

(all extend hand to Nehemiah) 
In honor; if thou need'st us, 

Thou shalt see 
We will be present, friend, to set thee free 
From self. 

Nehemiah 
(to five men) 
Dear friends, I trust thee as we go 
Forth to redeem all captives from the foe 
Of self. 

(instructing the men) 
Mark, God's own word each man must speak ! 
Remember well, the fall'n and the weak 
Look up in pray'r to us. God grant we may 
Judge righteous judgment. 

(with bowed head) 

Let us watch and pray 
For wisdom. 

The Five Men 
(together) 
Let us ever faithful be! 

Nehemiah 
(to all) 
'Til Israel's remnant shall be truly free. 

(to the five) 
Speak up, my men, and tell me, dost thou 

37 



know 
That good must aid us daily as we go 
Forth to our tasks? 

(to King and Queen) 

I go, blest King and Queen, 
With these, 

(indicating men) 
thy messengers. Grant they redeem 
My self from sin and fear until I see 
I am nor Greek, nor Gentile, bond nor free, 
Nor male, nor female, in the task I do. 

(joyously) 
We shall redeem the remnant. Captive Jew 
Shall be set free ! Now I may go, indeed, 
(gathering men closely to him) 

with these. 
Our Father knows our every need. 
The King 
(handing the letters to Nehemiah) 
Go forth, thou Cupbearer of earthly King, 
Go forth, and let the world in gladness ring 
With all thine overcomings. 

May these 
( indicating letters ) 
Bring thee peace. 

Nehemiah 
(with firm resolve) 
The city of my fathers' sepulchres must be 
rebuilt! 

88 



It of t'times seems a struggle to begin 

To cleanse one's thought from cursed fear 

and sin. 
I long to go, and yet, 

(as if weakening in his resolve) 

I am afraid. 
(with firmness) 
Ah, no, God hath made all things that were 

made, 
And called them "good" and "very good." 

Blest King, 
I go 

(resolutely) 

to conquer sin and suffering. 
(Nehemiah steps forward and kneels a mo- 
ment before the King and Queen for a 
blessing.) 

The King and Queen 
(together to Nehemiah) 
Our blessing, Son, the Court of Persia gives 
Thee full commission. Go! Earth's captive 
lives ! 
(King and Queen give command for 
Nehemiah to rise) 
Nehemiah 
(Rising, to All as if in prayer, with hands 
outstretched. The five men stand close 
to Nehemiah while the King and Queen 
and Court listen with bowed heads.) 



"O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear 
Be attentive to the pray'r of thy servant, 
And to the pray'r of thy servants who desire 
To fear thy name ; and prosper, I pray thee, 
Thy servant this day, and grant him mercy 
In the sight of this man ; 

(indicating King) 
For I was 'The King's Cupbearer/ " 

(Nehemiahlrll.) 



40 



CANTICLE II 
The Transfiguration of Encouragement 

Description: The scene shows the moon, 
under a half cloud, shed- 
ding light upon the waste 
walls of Jerusalem. The 
scene is laid in a valley. 
The dragon well is near and 
the dung port. A brook 
runs close by. A most dis- 
consolate aspect. The gates 
of the wall have all been 
consumed with fire. 

Discovered: Nehemiah and the five men, 
Sight, Touch, Taste, 
Smell, Hearing, are stand- 
ing together, viewing with 
cheerful countenances the 
most disconsolate of places, 
— Jerusalem's devastated 
walls. They walk together, 
as if on a tour of inspection, 
until they come to the gate 
of the fountain and the 
1 King's pool. A beast passes 

under this gate. 



Nehemiah 
(to Sight) 
"Ye see the distress that we are in, 
How Jerusalem lieth waste, 
And the gates thereof are burned with fire; 
Come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusa- 
lem, 
That we be no more a reproach." 

(Nehemiah 2:17.) 
E'en through this dire distress, I seem to be 
Encouraged to press on and set men free. 
Sight 
(to Nehemiah) 
The hand of God hath dealt so well with thee. 
The King's, words bless us. With sincerity 
We go about this task. 

Nehemiah 
(to the five men) 

Come, let us rise 
And build these walls aright. 
Touch 
(joyously, to Nehemiah) 

Let us surprise 
The rulers, priests, and nobles with a wall 
That never can be shattered, never fall. 
Taste 
(to all) 
We are despised, yea, laughed to scorn, and, 
yet, 

42 



We, too, may build what multitudes forget 
Not, nor despise. 

Smell 
Let us build high — 

High unto heav'n, that he who passeth by 
May mark the remnant now is safe, indeed, 
Within these walls. 

Hearing 
Where never form, nor creed 
May enter. 

Nehemiah 

{approvingly to all) 

Thou hast grown wise, my friends; yea, 

thou dost speak 
Words of true wisdom. All the lonely, weak 
And weary ones of earth shall be redeemed. 
Thou art much nobler than thou e'er hast 

seemed. 
I say again, thou hast grown wise ; and high 
Above thy former selves. 
Sight 
(meekly, to Nehemiah) 

And, if we try 
We may grow higher in this thing we do. 

Hearing 
We may put off the old man for the new. 
Nehemiah 
(to all) 
My men, I see a change in thee. 

43 



The Five Men 
(together) 

'Tis true ! 
Nehemiah 
(to all) 
My friends, I doubted thee, but now I see 
Thou, trained in things of God, may set men 

free 
From self. 

The Five Men 
(together) 
'Tis true, we, trained in things of good, 
Free thee and ail earth's weary brotherhood. 

Nehemiah 
Then I must trust thy better selves, indeed, 
In all this reconstruction. Friends, we need 
To stand together. 

The Five Men 
(together) 
Friend, nor lust, nor greed 
Shall turn us back. 

Nehemiah 
• (to all) 
These broken walls shall be 
Redeemed — this is God's work for thee and 

me; 
And, as we work, God's truth shall bring to 

light 
Our better selves. 

44 



The Five Men 
(together) 
God give us grace and might! 
Nehemiah 
(with hands outstretched— to the jive) 
Remember well, ye men, that which I say 
The God in heav'n always points the way 
Of him who builds for others. 
The Five Men 
(together) 

He doeth. well! 
Nehemiah 
(to all) 
And yet he may not ever boast nor tell 
Of what he builds. Ye have no portion, right, 
Within Jerusalem. No fearful right 
Of ownership may enter in thy work. 
Come, let us build. 

The Five Men 

(together) 
Let not one of us shirk 
Our duty. 

Nehemiah 

(to all) 

I, Cupbearer, lead thee forth. 

The Five Men 

(earnestly) 

0, may our work alone speak of our worth. 

(At this moment, the appearance of the men 

45 



changes. The dark garments they are 
wearing fall to the ground, showing 
bright, soft robes of ethereal nature. The 
men take on the forms of women as they 
stand in the moonlight, which has now 
become bright) 

Nehemiah 

(beholding all with radiant countenance) 

Ah, I have thought that thou wert men. I 

see 
The woman in thee now! 

(peering into their faces) 
(to Sight) 
Thou, Sight, art Intuition in disguise, — 
No wonder that thou hast discerning eyes. 

(to Touch) 
And, thou, Touch, art blest Gratitude. 'Tis 

well 
Thou know'st events before the world can 

tell 
They have begun : yea, friend, through grat- 
titude ! 

(to Taste) 
Beloved Patience, thou art woman, too, 
And male, as well; thou dost, indeed, renew 
The youth of those who follow thee aright. 

(to Smell) 
Dear Charity, thou lead'st to day. 



46 



{to Hearing) 

And thou, dear Wakefulness, forever true 

To highest good are thou. I scarcely knew 

That thou wert male and female. 

(looking closely) 

Ah, I see 
The woman in thee now. 
Friends, this is well, for thou wilt need to be 
Both male and female in this task ye do, — 
Complete and satisfied. Each captive Jew, 
When wakened, shall behold nor bond nor 

free 
Is he, indeed. The courage of the male 
Is his, and woman's gentle tenderness; 
Complete and satisfied, he cannot fail. 
Yea, Israel's captives, still, shall richly bless 
All men. They shall behold God's husbandry ; 
Wedded to Truth, all men shall then be free. 
Oft'times, my friends, a task at first seems 

light, 
Though it loom large, indeed, to finite sight. 
Be not fair weather friends. Stay thou and 

fight 
When fall discouragement and darkest 

night, — 
Through fiercest battle stay and win, — for 

right. 
"The God of heav'n, he will prosper us." 



47 



CANTICLE III 

Honest Daily Needs 

Description: A morning scene, showing a 
vast army of men ready for 
work on the waste walls of 
Jerusalem. 

Discovered : Eager groups of men carrying 
tools. 

Eliashib (the High Priest) 
(beckoning to several priests) 
Come, brethren, let us build this sheep gate 
well. 

Several Priests 

(together) 

And sanctify it to the Lord of Hosts. 

Men of Jericho 

(building and speaking together) 

What we have builded, future ages tell. 

Zaccur 
Not one stroke of our hammers can be lost. 

Sons of Hassenaah 

(working at fish gate) 
We lay the beams thereof; the doors are set; 
The locks thereof, the bars thereof are fast. 

48 



Meremoth, Meshullam, and Zadok 
(together) 
We work that no one ever can forget. 

Several Tekoites 
And we that peace and truth forever last. 
Jehoiada and Meshullam 
(working together at the old gate) 
We lay each beam thereof, and set each door. 
Melatiah and Jabon 
(together) 
We work nor ask for any blessing more. 
Uzziel and Hananiah 
(working on the broad wall) 
The broad wall must be perfect, too, that we 
May see them safe in their captivity. 
Repaiah, Jedaiah, and Hattush 
(working) 
May see them safe, and who are they? 
Malchijah and Hashub 
(repairing the tower of the furnaces) 
Each vagrant thought that hath become the 

prey 
Of self. 

Shallum 

(the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, 

working with his daughters) 

I came here with my daughters, they who 

rule 
And work with me. Each one with her own 

49 



tool 
is building; 

(the women drive nails) 
Daughters of Shallum 
(together) 
We came that all may see 
The titter helplessness, futility, 
Of those who come disguised as women, when 
The news of reconstruction reaches men. 
Hanum 
(repairing the valley gate) 
Sanballat and Geshem, the ones you fear, 
Daughters of Shallum? 

Daughters of Shallum 
(together) 
Not if we keep on building, tier on tier* 

Eldest Daughter of Shallum 
The ones we fear, — and yet we cannot fear 
For God is God, alone, and he is All — 
Is just the cursed falsehoods that would tear 
One's true self from its union now with good. 
MalChijah 
Ah, yes ! One must abide 
Forever at one's work in peace to know 
God's law aright. To conquer self, the foe 
Of progress, one must build high unto heav'n 
F'en for another's good; such is the leav'n 
Of understanding, wisdom, power, might, — 
All those who sit in darkness see this light. 

50 



Malchiah 
(building the dung gate) 
There is so much to cleanse from every 

thought, 
I build the dung gate. All that I have 

wrought 
Endures forever. 

Shallum 
(repairing the gate to the fountain) 
I set the doors of this, the fountain gate. 
God's messengers may enter, but the fate 
Of those who come to rob is fixed, indeed. 
No one may enter here with form or creed. 

Nehemiah 
(repairing the place over against the se- 
pulchre of David) 
My friends, Sanballat hears we build this 

wall; 
The news has spread to him. "Ah, it shall 

fall!"— 
This is his dire foreboding. We abide 
Forever at this task until we know 
Those in captivity are saved from foe. 
Rehum, Hashabiah, Bavai, and Ezer 
(repairing near the turning of the wall) 
Never was work more welcome hour by 
hour, — 

Baruch 
Welcome, because it proves there is one 

51 



pow r. 

Meremoth 

{working at door — to the priests, 

the' men of the Plain) 

Courage, my friends, bear up, each day must 

bring 
Its own reward. 

Benjamin and I-Iashub 
{working together) 
Friends, let our hammers ring 

{all hammering together) 
In glad applause. 

{joyous, ringing music) 

Binnui and Palal 
{hammering together) 
No enemy can ever turn us back, 

The Nethinims and Tekoites 
{ivorking together) 
Those who would build for good can never 
lack. 

The Priests 
{repairing near the horse gate) 
In learning meekness here, we may well find 
No man upon this earth shall e'er unbind 
Our work. 

Zadok and Shemaiah 
{working together') 
If we toil on with love, we may renew 
The waste walls with the fortified. 

52 , ; 



Hananiah, Hanun and Meshullam 
(together) 

We knew 
Those shattered walls would one day be re- 
deemed ! 
Malchiah (the goldsmith's son) 
This broken shaft, it must be strongly- 
beamed. 

Goldsmiths and Merchants 
(working together) 
Courage, my friends. Together we build well. 
(Their tools fall. Ringing noises. The eld- 
est daughter of Shallum slips behind 
each worker and, picking up fallen tools, 
restores them to owners.) 
Eldest Daughter of Shallum 
(handing tools to men) 
Here is thine hammer, friend; 
(to another) 

thy trowel fell. 
Nehemiah 
(to all) 
Beware, my friends, one cometh in disguise, 
A messenger of foes. Keep well thine eyes 
Upon thy work. 
(passing to another and addressing him) 
Courage, my friend, work on, 
Until each task of thine is fitly done. 
(to another, encouragingly) 



Work, till each task of thine is fitly done. 
(Pausing behind a worker and regarding his 

work and tools approvingly.) 
Be not afraid of thy salvation, friend ; 
Thy tools are clean, thy hands are true, 
The nail which thine hands doth send 
Strikes straight to the mark. 
This thing ye do is a blessing to all mankind. 
Thy work is a daily psalm of praise. 
In work thou canst ever find 
Love's home and Church, and universe, 
Messiah's blest heav'n, Mind. 

(Passing to another worker.) 
I, Nehemiah, urge thee on, these walls of 

thought 
Shall be constructed. All that thou hast 

wrought 
Must ever stand. 

(To another group.) 
Work as one man, work on, 
Until mankind is saved, earth's battle won. 

(To all, as if in prayer.) 
"Be not ye afraid of them; remember the 

Lord, — 
And fight for your brethren, your sons, and 

your daughters, 
Your wives, and your houses." 

(Nehemiah 4:14.) 

54 



For I am Nehemiah, "The King's Cup- 
bearer." 
And God, alone, is King of all the Earth. 



55 



CANTICLE IV 

Jealousy and Dark Forebodings 

Description: A village of the Plain, repre- 
senting a low order of 
thought. Everything in 
chaos. Rubbish of expen- 
sive materials heaped 
about, showing carelessness 
and sloth. The heat of the 
day. 

Discovered: Sanballat, governor of the 
Plain, is entering. He is an 
idol worshiper and carries 
with him a ghastly idol 
which he places with fool- 
ish awe on a high pedestal. 
He is a short, very heavy 
man, gaudily overdressed in 
ornate colored satin robes 
and much jewelry. 
Sanballat 

(with sinister smile to the messenger who 
enters with him at L.) 

So they rebuild those walls — poor, foolish 
Jews? 

(Laughs a loud, derisive laugh, which is 

56 



really no laugh at all but merely an ani- 
mal ejaculation,) 
Bring Geshem here, at once ! 
( With imperial wave of large, over-decorated 
hand to Messenger) 
Messenger 
(to Sanballat) 
Aye, Sir, I 
Do thy bidding. 

(exit Messenger) 
(Enter Sensuality at L. A woman of de- 
ceitful expression. One who has reached 
maturity, but still looks artificially young. 
She is dressed in flaming red velvet and 
wears many jewels.) 

Sanballat 
(walking across to the woman and chucking 

her rudely under the chin) 
Sweet lass, thy name? 

Sensuality 
(simpering foolishly into Sanballat* s face) 
My name, Sir, is Sensuality. 
I keep mankind in grim captivity. 

Sanballat 
(eagerly grasping her hands until the 
woman fairly winces under the crushing 
handclasp) 
Hold, woman, I have work for thee to do ; 
Thou shalt destroy each foolish, working 



57 



Jew. 
Strange how I always find the help I need 
To aid me in the sowing of sin's seed ! 

(Sanballat and the woman, Sensuality, 
dance briskly about and, at the same time, 
laugh loudly and wickedly. They plot to- 
gether. Enter several messengers. Sen- 
suality breaks away from Sanballat 
and, as if giving him an exhibition of 
her frivolity, she slips quietly from one 
messenger to another, leering wickedly 
into each face, while she hums- a foolish, 
sentimental love song. As she is singing, 
Geshem, enters, L, He is a tall, heavy-set 
man, wearing the costly trappings of a 
ruler, Sanballat and Geshem regard 
the woman approvingly as she sings. 
There are no words to the woman's song. 
Clashing, unrefined medley.) 

Geshem 
(after Sensuality has ceased dancing, turns 

angrily to Sanballat and almost howls) 
Why have ye sent for me, Sanballat, pray? 
I am a Governor! 

(With vast importance, while he struts 

about nervously.) 

This busy day. 
I, too, have much to see to, much to do. 

58 



Sanballat 

(in low tone) 

Didst thou not hear how every captive Jew 

Strives to rebuild the walls that lieth waste — 

The waste walls of Jerusalem? Make haste 

And give a plan to outwit all this task. 

Geshem 

(pondering) 

A plan ? 'Tis simple ! Let me think, I ask, 

One moment. 

(Thinks and rubs his forehead.) 
Sensuality 
(interrupting) 
Let me go to them, I pray. 
Each man shall bow to me. Yea, I will stay 
The hands of those who work, through flat- 
tery. 

(Sanballat and Geshem laugh loudly.) 

Sanballat 

(delightedly) 

Poor foolish wench, thy wit is not half bad. 

Our messengers will go with thee, 

(Summons messengers, who flock 
about Sensuality.) 

And had 
We other emissaries — if we know 
Geshem 
(Interrupting) 

Each Jew 

59 



Must be restrained from work. 
Sensuality 
(thinking) 
If we know of any others, they should go. 

(to Sanballat and Geshem) 
Dear Sirs, I pray thee, let me bring 
My sisters. Each has way 
Of evil fully learned. 

Sanballat 
(interested) 
Thy sisters? Give each name, 
And I will judge. 

Sensuality 
(proudly) 
The younger one is Shame. 
The elder one is quiet, she is Sleep. 
There are but three of us, yet we can keep 
Each Jew from toiling further on his task. 
Sanballat 
(to Messenger) 
Bring hither her 

(indicating Sensuality) 

two sisters. 
Sensuality 
(to Messenger) 

Say, I ask 
Them to come quickly. We have work this 

hour 
That will require united strength and power. 

60 



(Messenger departs quickly at L.) 

Geshem 

(turning to servant at his side) 

Go thou and tell those Jews who toil, that we 

Desire to see them in this village here; 

Tell them that we can help them, set them 

free; 
That we would talk with them. Tell them to 

fear 
Not to come hither. 

Sanballat 
{to servant at his side) 

Tell the Jews the Plain 
Is waiting for them; that the ripened grain 
And fruit of all our kingdom wait. Ah me, 
Why should they for those in captivity 
Still toil? 

Both Servants 
(together) 
We go, Sirs. 

Geshem 
(to servants) 
Wait until the three 

Sisters of sin may likewise go with thee. 
(Enter Shame and Sleep. They quickly em- 
brace Sensuality. Shame is dressed in 
deep black and walks with bowed head 
as if fearing to look up. Sleep keeps her 
eyes closed. She is dressed in a shadowy, 



61 



vapory-like gown.) 

(to Shame) 
What canst thou do, thou sad-eyed woman, 
here? 

Shame 
I follow Sensuality. Men fear 
My very name. I am Disease, the curse 
Of sin unfettered. Couldst thou summon 

worse 
Than I? 

Geshem 
(£0 Sleep) 
And thou, frail shadow, canst thou, too, 
Do ought to hinder any working Jew? 
Sleep 
(raising languid eyes) 
My name is Sleep, and after men have well 
Been bound in chains by her, 

(pointing to Sensuality) 

and her, 

(indicating Shame) 

I tell 
My story to them, promising that I 
Will bring forgetfulness. I close each eye 
Of him who listens to me, and I claim 
To be a blessing, but my very shame 
Is covered. I am Inactivity. 
My other names are Death, Inanity. 

62 



Sanballat 
(laughing loudly) 
Ha, Ha, I see, He, He, Ha, Ha, I see! 

(Waving them on.) 
Go forth, ye messengers and ladies fair, 
And speak to those poor working Jews o'er 

there. 
Bring them to us, or cause them to desist 
From working. 

(Patting Sleep on shoulder.) 

Tis true, my dear, they cannot thee resist! 

Sanballat and Geshem 

(together) 

Go forth, go forth, go forth, 

Bind them, hold them, and drive them quickly 

here, 
Through flattery, or shame, or sleep, or fear. 
Go forth, go forth, go forth. 



63 



CANTICLE V 
A Struggle With Self 
Description : Same as in Canticle HI except 
the walls are nearly re- 
paired. 
Discovered: Nehemiah and all the work- 
ers at their tasks on the 
walls, 
(enter First Messenger) 
First Messenger 
My Lord, Sanballat, Governor of Plain, 
Hath sent me to thee. He would once again 
Hold counsel with Cupbearer of the King. 
(Endeavoring to lead Nehemiah away.) 
(Nehemiah draws back as if refusing to go.) 
Sanballat, sir, 

(insistently) 

has counselled me to bring 
Thee to him that thou may'st together talk 
These matters over. 

(Nehemiah draws back.) 

No, thou need'st not walk. 
I have Sanballat's chariot. 
(All workers stop working on the walls and 
listen to the conversation between Nehe- 
miah and the messenger.) 
Nehemiah 
But I am doing here a great work. Answer 
why 

64 



This work should cease, the while I go to talk 
With them? 

(Turning back to his work.) 
Tell them I shall ne'er walk 
Nor ride to them. This good work must not 

cease ! 
(A second messenger hurriedly enters, L.) 

Second Messenger 
(as if pointing to the Plain — to Nehemiah) 
I bear a message, too; I bring thee peace, 
From Geshem, Governor, my Lord ; 
And he hath sent me forth to bring this word 
To thee. Come down, he begs of thee to-day, 
And talk this good work over, and the way 
Of progress. 

Nehemiah 
(firmly) 
Sir, no work was ever done 
Through useless talk. 

'Tis better, one by one, 
That we should learn to work, and not to say 
How we have worked. I cannot come today, 
Nor any other time. 

(Turns back to his work; all begin ham- 
mering together) 
(Enter Sensuality. She goes straight to Ne- 
hemiah, and through pantomime, at- 
tempts vainly to entice him with her 
eyes. Nehemiah looks aways from her 

65 



and continues his work. She next tries 
to hold his face close to hers. He eludes 
her attempted embraces. Discouraged at 
Nehemiah's repulses, she then goes to 
the other men. One by one they drop 
their tools and half return her caresses. 
Nehemiah alone repulses Sensuality 
each time she returns to him. He con- 
tinues his work. Not a word is spoken. 
Every time one of the workers drops his 
tools because of Sensuality's caresses, 
the daughters of Shallum appear and re- 
store them to the idle hands.) 

Sensuality 
.. (in final attempt to gain Nehemiah's 
attention) 
Come, 

(whispering) 

Come with me, 
I will give thee ease 
And joy and gladness. 
Wouldst thou not for these 
Lay down this heavy anvil? 

(pointing to tool) 

Nehemiah 

(firmly) 

No, for I, Cupbearer of the King, must ever 

try 
To do my best. 



Sensuality 
(Gently stroking Nehemiah's hands.) 

Thou art so brave, my dear. 

It is thy bravery I love. 

(Still caressing his hands.) 

These wondrous hands ! How they have 
wrought ! 

Ah, do not fear 

My fond caresses. 

(Nehemiah brushes her aside and quickly 
begins work on the walls. Sensuality, 
seeing that it is useless to try to win Ne- 
hemiah, softly steals again to the other 
men, who are watching her with jealous 
glances. Nehemiah works on. Sensu- 
ality flits from one to another and casts 
her spell over each of them in turn. They 
rapturously return her caresses. Seeing 
that she has all of the workers, except 
Nehemiah, in her power, Sensuality 
quickly summons Shame and Sleep, who 
are standing quietly at L.) 
Shame 

(to one of the workers who has been holding 
Sensuality in his arms) 

My name is Sister Shame. Each working Jew 

Shall be inactive. Yea, let me renew 

My boast. Not one shall work, for I 

67 



Shall make each one afraid. Each man shall 

try- 
To shake me off ! 

(She hovers like a cloud over the tired work- 
ers; with one hand she summons Sleep.) 

Come, Sleep; come, Sister Sleep, 

My work is finished! 

(The hands of the men drop listlessly.) 

Now I pray thee keep 

These hands from toiling, and these eyes 
from light. 

My work is finished ! 

(The men drop their heads in shame.) 

Lead to blackest night 

These earnest Jews. 

(Sleep approaches the men. They reach out 
their arms to her as if begging her to 
eome to them. They yawn stupidly and 
sigh.) 

Sleep 
(surprised) 

I — I have naught to do! 

Shame, Sensuality, hath bound each Jew! 

(They all nod their heads in sleep except the 
daughters of Shallum and Nehemiah, 
who work diligently on. The eldest daugh- 
ter of Shallum approaches Nehemiah. 
He is so busily engaged in work that he 
has not noticed the sleeping tpilers.) 

68 



(to Nehemiah) 
The Eldest Daughter of Shallum 
(to Nehemiah) 
Cupbearer, awake those stupid Jews who 
sleep! 

Nehemiah 
(regarding the sleepers) 
Our God shall fight for us. 
Yea, He shall keep 
Our hands from idleness. 

(to Daughters of Shallum) 
The trumpet sound! 

(Loud blowing of trumpet.) 

They shall awake ! 
(Men begin to awaken.) 
Their better selves when found 
Shall keep them. Daughters, tell them they 

shall be 

Both male and female, joyous, sinless, free. 

(Daughters of Shallum go quickly and 

awaken the men more fully, merely by 

placing the workers' own discarded 

weapons and tools in their listless hands.) 

(All the men arise, look about in startled 

manner and continue the work quietly. 

With a spear in one hand and a weapon 

in the other, each daughter of Shallum 

stands back of every group of men as a 

faithful guard.) 



Tell them, 

(to Daughters of Shallum) 
I pray thee, each with servant may 
At night lodge in Jerusalem. The way 
Grows brighter ; toilers, we are not afraid. 
God hath made "good" all things that He 

hath made. 
(Nehemiah rises suddenly, as if with in- 
spiration, and seizes first one messenger 
and then another. He roughly shakes 
each, in turn, and tears off outer gar- 
ment) 
This messenger 

(indicating Sanballat's messenger) 

that we have dreaded, see, 
Is Intuition in disguise; was she 
Not Sight? 

Intuition 
The ills we deem dark woes may be, 
When overcome, a guide to lead to light. 
Nehemiah 
(shaking second messenger until outer 
covering falls) 
And this one, well thou know'st, was one time 
Taste. 

Patience 
And now my name is Patience. 
Nehemiah 

Thou, alas, 



70 



Art messenger who teaches us to waste 
No time in murmuring. 

Patience 
(as if holding aloft a cup) 

Taste of life's cup, 
Of grief or joy, let not this chalice pass! 

Nehemiah 
(Looking Sensuality squarely in the eye; 
her outer garment falls, revealing a beau- 
tiful woman.) 
Ah, thou art Gratitude! Thou troubl'st me 
So long to-day as Touch! This is the curse 
Of all earth's curses, mankind fears as worse 
Than Death. The touch of Touch brings 

bitter woe 
Because it claims to hold, caress, and go 
From life to death. 

Gratitude 
Yea, I am Gratitude! 
I best express myself by giving much 
To all mankind. 

Nehemiah 

(pondering) 

So thou wert one time Touch! 

Can this be why, in future years, there is 

Destined to come a King to earth ? — and this 

Shall be his message : Gratitude and Peace ! 

71 



(as if prophesying) 
Yea, he will raise the dead with words like 

these : 
"Father, I thank Thee!" Men shall even 

know 
The garment's hem he wears shall heal their 

woe. 
If they but reach out for the Truth, they 

shall 
Be freed forever from the galling thrall 
Of sensuality, which comes to bind 
Mankind with touch of finite love. 
(to all) 

We find 
Our freedom, friends, forever as we give 
Our all of gratitude that men may live. 
Egyptian darkness, sensuality, 
The touch of finite self, — from these, be free, 

(eagerly to Gratitude) 
Mankind ! Blest Gratitude, no name like thine 
Hath ever turned earth's water into wine! 

(To Shame, as outer garment falls.) 
Ah, thou wert Smell ! 

Charity 
But now I come to bless 
Earth in the robes of Charity. 
Nehemiah 

Tis true 
Thou dost not scent sin's scandal, nor confess 

72 



To curious interest in an old or new 

Recital of men's weaknesses. Thou art 

The friend of all. 

(For a long time, Nehemiah regards Sleep. 
She does not change. Sleep constantly 
eludes the Cupbearer's steadfast, search- 
ing look. While Nehemiah is actually 
trying to "see through" Sleep, and Sleep 
is trying to evade the Prophet, Hearing, 
now Wakefulness, dressed in loose, 
flowing white garments, slips quietly into 
the room, and takes her place with the 
other four guards at Nehemiah's side. 
Sleep, beholding Wakefulness* appear- 
ance, shudders and makes quick exit. Ne- 
hemiah, turning, beholds WAKEFULNESS, 
and embraces her lovingly.) 

Brave Wakefulness, my friend! 

Thou art the friend of friends which God 
doth send! 

Wakefulness 
(reassuringly, to Nehemiah) 

Blest Cupbearer, I come to-day to hear 

For thee. There is nor pain, nor any fear! 

Nehemiah 

(gratefully, regarding the five women) 

Ah, this one here 

(holding Wakefulness' hand) 

is friend, indeed, — 'tis she, 

73 



True Wakefulness, come to us now that we 
May keep awake and set our brethren free. 
(At this moment, heavy-eyed Sleep appears 
again, L. She yawns stupidly; seems 
about to enter but is apparently afraid 
of Wakefulness.) 

Wakefulness 
(pointing derisively at Sleep, who cowers to 
the ground and almost creeps out of sight) 
Sleep hath no better self. She hath a need 
To hide herself! Death is her cruel creed. 
My friend, 

(to Nehemiah) 
there yet are days of grief and woe 
When death, or sleep, will try to make thee 

go 
As fettered slave to hell — but thou shalt see 
The world's great need of immortality, 
And, seeing this, thou shalt, indeed, be free ! 
Nehemiah 
(to all) 
Half of thee hold'st the spears 
(to the women) 
Until each star in highest heav'n appears. 
While half shall work. 

(To the men. They all return joyously 
to their work on the wall.) 

The way 
Grows ever brighter to us. Father, pray 

74 



That none of us may falter, till we see 
Man is both male and female, deathless, free. 

(As if in prophecy.) 
I see on earth, in long, long years to come, 
Half of thee shalt, indeed, protect the home ; 
While half shall win earth's peace— this is 

God's will! 
The home thou shalt protect is consciousness ; 
The wakefulness all men express shall bless 
This earth-home with true, patient tender- 
ness. 
The intuition of our God shall be 
Made manifest ! Blest gratitude shall free 
Earth's fettered ones ; and charity shall stand 
Prepared to lend to all a helping hand. 
There shall be no more war, nor hate, nor 

strife 
Within earth's home in heav'n,— this is 
Life! 



n 



CANTICLE VI 

A Struggle With Poverty and Greed 

Description: The scene is again as in Can- 
ticles HI and V, the partly 
constructed walls of Jeru- 
salem. About six weeks 
later in time than Canticle 
V. 

Discovered: Groups of discontented Jews 
standing about engaged in 
angry conversation. Groups 
of anxious women and fret- 
ful children. The women 
wearily shift baskets of 
corn and wine from their 
arms to their heads. They 
sigh disconsolately.) 

Shemaiah 
(discontentedly) 
We, our sons and daughters, many are! 
That we may live, we take up corn and wine. 
Yea, we have borrowed money from afar 
That this work might proceed. 
Indeed, our fine 
Of tax is great ! 

Wife of Shemaiah 
(sullenly) 

76 



Why should this work go on, when, day by 

day, 
Our debt grows larger? 

Meshullam 
(kicking at wall) 

We have naught to pay ! 
(Groups of angry men walk about and kick at 
wall as if they would destroy it.) 

We have encumbered vineyards, — 
all our lands! 

Meremoth 
(fiercely) 
And this is all we have! 

(Pointing derisively at wall.) 

My very hands 
Are wearied. 

Bavai 
(peevishly) 
I mortgaged all my lands— I 
Have naught more. 

Wife of Bavai 
(weeping) 
I know it! 

(rocking back and forth) 

I know it! Ah, 
I weep and sigh 
But no one cares. 

Binnui 
Yet our flesh is exactly as the flesh 



Of our own brethren, our children, too, 
And their children. Would we them enmesh, 
Our sons and daughters, into bondage? 
(Angrily approaches Nehemiah, who 
alone continues to build.) 

Jew, 
Speak up ! Some are already bought 
With no power to redeem 
(savagely) 

and thou hast wrought 
This mischief ! 

(At one side, an auctioneer is asking for bids 
on the children. The rulers make va- 
rious offers.) 

Nehemiah 

(rising slowly from his work and towering 

above all) 

Not as they seem 
Are countless ills to-day. 
(Turns to messenger and summons nobles 
and rulers who are engaged in bidding on 
children. They crowd about Nehemiah.) 
Men, I pray, 
Listen, and find at once a better way 
To meet each need. Thou dost exact in whole 
Usury of thy brethren, and thy toll 
Is death. Our brethren, the Jews redeemed 

shall be, 
Not in some far-off time, but now and here. 



78 



They, sold unto the heathen, shall be free 
From cursed debt, disease, and human fear. 
(Shaking his clenched fists into the 
faces of the rulers.) 
And wouldst thou even sell thy brethren 
For stupid ease? Quick, answer me, my men! 
{There is a long silence. The rulers and 
nobles stand with bowed heads, as if 
ashamed.) 
Shall they be sold for us ; canst thou not say 
A word — not even one? There is none, nay 
Not one to e'er condone this usury. 

(All men stand with heads lowered.) 
(Nehemiah walks back to the wall as if his 
words to the rulers were finished; he 
picks up an anvil and gives a few ringing 
strokes, and then suddenly faces about 
and paces his way back to the silent m,en.) 
"It is not good that ye do ; ought ye not 
To walk in the fear of our God, because of 
The reproach of the heathen, our enemies? 
I likewise, and my brethren, and my serv- 
ants, 
Might exact of them money and corn; 
I pray you, let us leave off this usury. 
Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, 
Their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, 
And their houses, also the hundredth part 



79 



Of the money, and of the corn, the wine, 
And of the oil, that ye exact of them" 

(Nehemiah 5 :9, 10, 11.) 
(A long silence. The women are standing 
beside the riders with baskets of corn and 
wine half extended to them. The rulers 
reach out their hands to receive the bas- 
kets, but as they listen to Nehemiah's 
words, their empty hands drop back to 
their sides.) 

Shallum 
(speaking for all) 
"We will restore them, and will require 

nothing of them ; 
So will we do as thou sayest." 

(Nehemiah 5:12.) 
Nehemiah 
(to messenger) 
Go, call the priests, an oath we'll take of this 
That they should do according to their 
promise. 

(Shakes lap as if emptying it of 

something.) 

"So God shake out every man from his house, 

And from his labour, that performeth not 

this promise, 
Even thus be he shaken out and emptied." 

(Nehemiah 5:13.) 



All 
(together) 
Amen ! Praise the Lord ! God be praised ! 
Nehemiah 
(with hand uplifted) 
At my table now I entertain 
One hundred-fifty Jews : 
The fruit and grain 

Of governors we eat not. Think of me, 
O, Lord, Thou God of good, Grant that I be 
A faithful servant till this wall shall stand 
A v/orthy tribute to our Father's hand. 
"Think upon me, my God, for good, 
According to all that I have done 
For this people" — (Nehemiah 5:19.) 
CANTICLE VII 
A Desperate Struggle With Self 
Description: Showing walls completed ex- 

cept doors. 
Discovered: Nehemiah stands alone look- 
ing at the opening where 
doors should be. 
(Enter Pride of Achievement, a messenger 
from Sanballat. Pride says nothing. 
He struts about looking at wall. Whistles 
proudly.) 

Pride 

(to Nehemiah) 

Splendid work ! Marvelous ! Indeed, I won- 

81 



der, friend, 
At all thou and these Jews have done. Pray 

lend 
An ear. My governor, Sanballat, sends thee 

peace 
And joy. He would, himself, convey to thee 

these greetings. 

(looking at wall) 

Wondrous! My friend, 

didst thou do all, 
Thou and these Jews ? It seems, indeed, this 

wall 
Is built to stand. I marvel at thy might, 
Thy wondrous skill in building this aright! 

Nehemiah 
(For a moment, he listens eagerly. A dazed, 

stupid expression steals across his face. 

With a gesture, as if pushing the words 

of Pride away from him, he speaks slowly 

— to himself.) 
"0 God, Thou art my God ; early will I seek 

thee; 
My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth 

for Thee, 

To see Thy power and Thy glory, so as I have 

seen Thee 

In the sanctuary 

When I remember Thee upon my bed, 

And meditate on Thee in the night watches. 



Because Thou hast been my help, 
Therefore in the shadow of Thy wings 
Will I rejoice." (Ps. 63:1-7.) 

{Enter a driver and golden chariot; a richly 

trapped beast. A footman and messenger 

are close at hand.) 

Messenger 

{to Pride) 
My lord, I wait; and art thou ready quite? 
If so, we'll journey onward, e'er 'tis night. 
Pride 
{pleadingly to Nehemiah) 
Come down with me. Sanballat waits to hear 
Thy mighty conquest over sin and fear. 
Come with me, friend. 

Nehemiah 

{resolutely) 
"I am doing a great work, 
So that I cannot come down; 
Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, 
And — come — down — to — you ?" 

(Nehemiah 6:3.) 
Pride 

{insisting) 
They wait for thee at Ono. 

Nehemiah 
Let them wait ! I have a work. Yea, I know 
It must continue. 



Pride 
(pointing to wall) 

To tell them of this dost thou refuse to go? 

Come with me to the village of Ono. 
Nehemiah 

"I am doing a great work, so that I cannot 
come down; 

Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, 

And come down to you?" 

(Nehemiah 6:3.) 

(The driver slowly turns the chariot around; 
the footman, the messenger and Pride 
follow. They exeunt while Nehemiah 
sloivly repeats:) 

"Why should the work cease, whilst I leave 
it, 

And come down to you?" 

(Four men enter carrying mortar-trough; 
after placing it, they exeunt.) 

(Nehemiah turns back to the contemplation 
of the ivork on the wall. Prejudice, a 
messenger from Sanballat, enters, al- 
most creeps about, and whispers as if 
frightened. Goes up to mortar which Ne- 
hemiah is mixing, and looks at it fear- 
fully.) 

Some one has mixed this mortar wrong, my 
friend, 

Sh — what have I said. I did not mean to tell 

84 



That shameful plot. 

Nehemiah 
A plot ye say? Pray lend 
Assistance in unraveling it. 
(Nehemiah ceases his work and appears to 
be much disturbed.) 
Prejudice 
Meshullam, Zadok, Ezra, ah, for shame 
I should not speak of this ! I would not say 
One word to turn thee from thy friendships, 

nay, 
Not one word ; but (whispering) , 'twas Shal- 

lum said to me 
That ye were hard task-master! Ah, I see 
I have been wrong in telling this. 
(As if repentant.) 
Nehemiah 
(continuing his mixing of mortar) 
Alas, thy name 
Is prejudice*! (pointing to exit) Go! Thou 

may'st pass 
Forever from my sight ! Thou canst not tell 
The light from darkness. Go, the gates of 

hell 
Swing back for such as thee. 

(Prejudice, muttering, starts to leave.) 
Prejudice 

I wouldst not turn 
Thee e'er against a brother, but, I yearn 

* When Nehemiah perceives that evil is impersonal, the 
word typifying evil is not capitalized. 
85 



To tell thee how Hanani says that thou 
Sh — art basely wrong — Sh, what have I 

spoken now? 

Nehemiah 
(dropping his mortar mixer, he places hands 

over ears so that he cannot hear) 
Of all the messengers Sanballat prides, 
Thou art the falsest one, — yea, thou ! Death 

hides 
Behind thy muttered murmurings! Go now 
From me — Ah, never more shalt thou 
Deceive me, crafty, whispering abuse, 
Thy name is prejudice, and I refuse 
To listen to thee, coward! Whispering, 
Go back to hades whence thy lispings spring. 
I shall rely on God to tell me all 
About my fellow-man. (lifting eyes) 

On Him I call 
For righteous judgment! God, alone, is 

good, 
And, in His sight, man now is understood! 
One day, a singer comes to earth to say : 
"Our feet shall stand" within Jerusalem 
Where human prejudice hath no more sway. 
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." 

(Psalms 122:6.) 
(Exit Prejudice.) 
(Human Recognition, a messenger from 

86 



Geshem enters, unobserved, and stands 
close to Nehemiah's side while he 
works.) 

Human Recognition 
My name is Human Recognition, friend. 
I never hesitate gladly to lend 
My aid. Geshem commissions me to say 
He would reward thee for thy work to-day — 
Yea, he will lavish all that thou wouldst ask 
For having carried through this wondrous 

task. 
Come down to Ono, village of the Plain. 
And he will give thee lands of ripened grain. 
I gladly lend my name to every one 
Because my title is so justly won. 
Cupbearer, if it be to thee the same 
We will be going now. 

(Taking Nehemiah by the arm.) 

Nehemiah 

(as if brushing aside a troublesome viper) 

Why go with thee ? 

Human Recognition 

To get thy full reward. Friend, thou shalt be 

A ruler. 

Nehemiah 
(firmly) 
I have reward. None can tell 
Save God alone, my recompense, how well 
I am repaid. 

87 



Human Recognition 
But it is fully right 

That governors should tell thee of thy might 
And wisdom. 

Nehemiah 

(hands raised to heaven) 

'Tut not your trust in princes, nor in the son 

of man, in whom there is no help. 
His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his 

earth ; 
In that very day his thoughts perish. 
Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for 

his help, 
Whose hope is in the Lord his God ; 
Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and 
all that therein is; which keepeth truth 
forever." (Ps. 146:3-6.) 

(About the middle of the Psalm, Geshem's 
messenger, Human Recognition, slowly 
departs. Nehemiah, alone, again turns 
to view the wall.) 

Shiftlessness 
(sauntering in, walks up to the mortar and 

looks at it sneeringly — to Nehemiah) 
What is this ? Ah, mortar ? Then why mind 
Mixing this so? 
(Nehemiah is carefully placing in the lime.) 

Cast it in ! 
(Knocks Nehemiah's elbow so that the lime 

88 



slips carelessly in. Laughs.) 
Cast it in! 

This will last after thou art dead and gone. 
Cast it in ! 

(jostling shovel) 

Cast it in, why stand alone 
For such exactness? 

(Nehemiah, saying nothing, goes to the wall 
and carefully measures the opening of a 
gate. Shiftlessness follows him and 
jeers at him.) 

Never mind measuring; 
Cast it in. 

(Nehemiah picks up the heavy gate which 
belongs in the opening.) 

Who cares how it fits? 
Ah, bring 
Thy talents to the things that count,— this 

gate 
Is merely iron ! It can have no fate — 
'Tis lifeless metal! Though it fit not, why 
Shouldst thou then care ? Why shouldst thou 

even try? 
(Shiftlessness saunters about; carelessly 
knocks down one gate after another and 
kicks each about. Crashing noises.) 
Nehemiah 
Ah, shiftlessness, we two have met before. 
Thou may'st leave! 

89 



(points to exit) 

I would not listen more 
To all thy foolish prattle. 

(pushing him away) 

I am here 
To do my best. Thou canst not interfere. 
Of all the messengers that Geshem sent 
Thou art the one whose crookedness hath bent 
Men from the line of rectitude. Thy ways 
Are not God's ways. For this, let Him be 
praised ! 

(exit Shiftlessness) 
(A woman, dressed in many dull colors, en- 
ters. She is Self-Pity. She slowly ap- 
proaches Nehemiah, and raising his cal- 
loused hands, looks at them, and shakes 
her head pityingly.) 

Self-Pity 
I cannot give my name. I came from one 
Who tells me of the marvels thou hast done. 
And not one Jew hath praised thee ! 
(She takes Nehemiah's hands very tenderly 
in her own and gently rubs her hands 
over them, as if feeling their callouses.) 
Poor hands, true, 
Toiled long, in vain, for not one grateful Jew 
Hath stayed to bless thee ! Tobiah says that 

he 
Would give thee his thanks in sincerity. 

90 



Poor hands! Poor hands! 

(She continues to rub them gently. For a 
moment, Nehemiah almost weeps. He 
quickly recovers himself, and snatches his 
hands away.) 

Nehemiah 
(peering into woman* s face) 

What is thy name? Where have we met be- 
fore? 

Thou hast annoyed me much in days of yore ! 

"I am doing a great work, so that I cannot 
come down. 

Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, 

And — come — down — to — you ?" 
Self-Pity 

But thou shouldst have reward. Thou toil'st 
but they, 

Those Jews (scornfully) are neither grateful 
nor obey 

Thy word. 

Nehemiah 

(almost assents, but quickly turning away 
from the woman for a moment, regards 
his work on the wall. Again turning to 
the woman.) 

What is thy name? Where have we met be- 
fore? 

Thou hast annoyed me much in days of yore. 

(Turning again to the wall, and disregarding 

91 



the woman, he begins measuring, as he 
intones these words from Psalm 78:) 
"Give ear, My people, to My law; 
Incline your ears to the words of My mouth. 
I will open My mouth in a parable : 
I will utter dark sayings of old : 
That the generations to come might know 

them, 
Even the children which should be born ; 
Who should arise and declare them to their 

children." 
(In the midst of the intonation of this Psalm, 
Self-Pity, weeping bitterly, stands be- 
fore Nehemiah.) 

Self-Pity 
(to Nehemiah) 
I am Self-Pity. I did not intend 
To give my name. I came disguised as friend. 

(weeping) 
But I am deadly foe. Yea, oft before 
I have annoyed thee in the days of yore. 
(Weeping bitterly, Self-Pity exits.) 
Nehemiah 
(kneeling) 
God be praised ! Magnify His holy name ! 
Once more, Thy servant is redeemed from 

shame. 
(Enter a wondrously beautiful woman. She 
is Personal Attraction. Nehemiah is 

92 



working earnestly when she enters, but 
he immediately becomes excited and 
confused. It is evident that he is 
doing poor work. All the time he looks 
admiringly at the woman. He drops his 
tools; the gate he is hammering into place 
crashes to the ground and, in its fall, 
tears a part of the wall away. Neither 
Nehemiah nor the woman speak. As if 
delighting in her conquest and Nehemi- 
ah's failure to work intelligently, the 
woman smiles joyously and exits. With 
a disappointed expression, and looking 
ever toward the door whence Per- 
sonal Attraction had departed, Nehe- 
miah wearily takes up his work. Enter 
the five senses — Sight, Touch, Taste, 
Smell, Hearing. The five men stand 
near Nehemiah as if to encourage 
him to continue his work. Again the 
woman, Personal Attraction, appears. 
She is more beautiful than ever in a robe 
of shimmering material. Nehemiah 
gasps delightedly when he sees the 
woman. He tries to return to his work, 
but it is plain that his work disgusts him, 
and that he has eyes only for the beau- 
tiful creature who stands near him. The 
woman, seeing Nehemiah's displeasure 

93 



with his work, laughs joyously and de- 
parts. The five corporeal senses look 
heavenward as if in prayer. Again the 
tvoman enters. She is even more beautiful 
than before, having thrown a rope of won- 
drous jewels about her neck and a fleecy, 
silken shawl upon her head. When 
Nehemiah sees her enter, he ceases work 
entirely and looks unceasingly at the 
woman. He sits down on a pile of build- 
ing material. The five senses bring him, 
first a hammer, then a trowel, then a joist. 
They try to encourage him to go on with 
his work but he refuses. He does nothing 
except to stare admiringly at Personal 
Attraction. Finally, Nehemiah gives 
one quick glance heavenward as if in 
prayer. At once the spell of mesmeric 
attraction is broken. In a moment's time, 
the gleaming robes fall at the woman's 
feet, showing an ugly creature dressed in 
sack-cloth. The five senses change 
again to beautiful women. Nehe- 
miah rises quickly from his reclining po- 
sition and with eager joy begins his work. 
He intelligently repairs the large gap in 
the wall caused by Personal Attrac- 
tion's first appearance. Personal At- 
traction, now in sack-cloth, ugly and old, 

94 



tries to keep Nehemiah from working. 

She goes to him, attempts to seize his 

hands and hold him with her gaze, but 

her efforts are all in vain. Joyously 

Nehemiah continues to work.) 
Nehemiah 
(to the woman) 
God be praised ! I know thy heinous name, — 
Tis personal attraction, lust and shame ! 
Whene'er thou comest first, clad in the flesh 
Of costly, vain attraction ye enmesh 
Thy victims, well thou keepest them from 

gain 
Of true salvation through thy crafty, vain 

attentions. 
The second time thou com'st, men loathe their 

work; 
Their days become a useless drag ; they shirk 

all honest duty. 
The third time thou dost come, men cease 

their toil, — 
Thou bind'st upon them fetters, coil on coil. 
The world of useful joy would pass away, 
If thou, poor foolish virgin, hadst thy say; 
But as men lift their eyes to heav'n and pray 
The joy of work comes forth into the light, — 
And thou art then a monster in their sight! 
Go from me, woman, never, never more 
Shalt thou appear to darken my own door 

95 



Of thought. My daily work is all I need ; 
My work is my attraction and my meed 
Of joy and peace and happiness and rest! 

(as he pushes the woman away) 
Woman, for me, my work is ever best. 

(The woman, weeping bitterly, exits.) 
(Nehemiah continues his work. The five 
senses now changed into the women, 
Gratitude, Patience, Charity, Wake- 
fulness and Intuition, with hands 
raised as if blessing Nehemiah, all 
leave.) 
(Enter Human Will. At first sight, he ap- 
pears to be a very small man, but he in- 
creases constantly in size as he speaks. 
Human Will is accompanied by his son, 
Dishonesty, and his daughter, Greed. 
Dishonesty is very cowardly in appear- 
ance. Greed is large and florid.) 
Human Will 
(breathlessly to Nehemiah) 
This will not do! Come, come with me, my 

friend, 
Thou must come now. I say so. Wherefore 

bend 
Thy back in labor when I summon thee? 

(Nehemiah is fitting a gate in place.) 
Not there! Not there! 

(Indicating disapproval of placing gate 



in that opening,) 
Come with me now. Why be 
So earnest? 

(Human Will takes Nehemiah by the 
shoulder and pushes him about.) 

Go there ! 
(pushing him to another place) 

Go on (pushing him) Go! 
I said there! (angrily) Not there! There! 

There! No, 
Not there! 
(Pushing Nehemiah about, Human Will 

appears to be utterly exhausted.) 
Not there! (wearily) I said so! (Very 

wearily) I — said — so. 
(Dishonesty is attempting to displace good 
building material with defective timbers; 
good stones with mere lumps of sand 
which fairly crumble away. Greed has- 
tens about and picks up bolts, nails, tools 
and many other valuables and hides them 
in her flowing sleeves.) 
Nehemiah 
Mark thy dishonest children, mark the greed 

(pointing to Greed) 
And avarice of her, and mark the need 
Thy son, Dishonesty, hath now to go 
With wiser vision or — 

(Dishonesty stumbles and falls ) 

97 



Human Will 
(turning to his children) 
Ah, I did not know 

She (pointing to Greed) was a thief, a rob- 
ber; ah, me! 
And he (pointing to Dishonesty) deceitful, 
crafty, tell me, can it be? 
(Dishonesty picks himself up. Human 
Will weeps.) 
Nehemiah 
Thy name is human will. Should I not know 
Thy falsity? Hast thou not led me on 
O'er crag and fen of self, in days long gone? 
I know thy name. 

(Human Will still weeps bitterly. His two 
children steal quietly from the stage.) 
I know the weariness 
Of thy poor counsels ; yea, thy faithlessness ! 
Of all his messengers, Sanballat's curse 
Hath never made of villany, a worse 
Than thou. I know thee, human will; I 

know — — 
I know thy wretched leadings — Go, Go, Go! 
(Human Will continues to weep, pleadingly 

and with false meekness, to NehemiahJ 
I shall abide with thee, here, here, now, now, 
Until thou goest with me, thou, thou, thou, 
thou! 

98 



(with feigned gentleness) 
I do not want my way ; come, thou, with me. 

Nehemiah 
False meekness, human will, thou dost as- 
sume, 
Since in thy scheming heart thou hast but 

room 
For self. Father, thy will be done! 
(At these words, Human Will falls at 
Nehemiah's feet) 

With Thee, 
I go where Truth directs. Yea, I am free 
To go where Love commands ! There dwell - 

ethl, 
As God's own image. 

Human Will 
(looking up from the ground) 

Come with me. Oh, why 
Not go? 

Nehemiah 

(resolutely) 

I go where God directs the way. 

No human will can have the power to say 

Where I should go, or where my work shall 

be; 
The God in heav'n, alone, instructeth me. 
(Human Will appears to completely flatten 
out on the ground at Nehemiah's feet. 
He is wholly exhausted and, in his ex- 



haustion, his tongue protrudes as if he 

were fairly eating the dust of the earth,) 

Thou art sin's serpent, doomed to eat the dust 

(Human Will is creeping away) 
Of cannot, do not, shall, and will, and must. 

Human Will 
(muttering to himself as he creeps away) 
I shall, I will, I can, I must now go 
Back to perdition, human will and woe. 
Nehemiah 
(as if prophesying) 
One comes in future days to do God's will. 
(As if beholding someone present, radiantly.) 
He stills earth's tempests with Love's "Peace, 

be still!" 
(As these last words are spoken, Human 

Will, silenced, exits by creeping away.) 
(Enter Personality. He is a very large, 
clumsy, awkward, pompous man. He is 
constantly tripping as if over himself and 
falling. He stands before Nehemiah, who 
is working, and suddenly falls before him. 
Nehemiah in turn stumbles over Per- 
sonality, but does not fall. Each time 
Nehemiah stumbles and makes a mis- 
step, some of his good work is over- 
turned.) 

Personality 
Here am I ! See me ! Here am I ! See me ! 

100 



Here am I ! Can it be, can it be 
Thou dost not see me? 

Nehemiah 

(stumbling over Personality, but not 

falling) 

I detected thee ! 
(Personality repeatedly places himself in 
Nehemiah's way, but each time the Cup- 
bearer sees the impostor and quickly steps 
aside to avoid falling over him,) 
Personality 
Why step aside for me? Thou art afraid! 
(exultingly) 
Nehemiah 
(firmly) 
Ah, no, God made all things that were made ! 

Personality 
God? I (indicating himself) am creator, I 

am wondrous, I 

Nehemiah 
(interrupting) 
Thou'rt false from the beginning, yea, sin's 
lie! 

Personality 
Thou callest me false, then I shall go. Not 

here 
May I remain ! I must have awe and fear ! 
(Personality, much offended, rises majes- 
tically and exits) 

101 



(Enter Human Ease, a large, very fleshy 
woman. She goes straight to the gate 
Nehemiah is working on, and reclines 
wearily upon it. She sighs.) 
Nehemiah 
(to the woman) 
Begone ! 

(Human Ease sighs and rests more easily 
on the gate.) 
Begone ! 
(Human Ease sighs wearily and refuses to 

move.) 
What (peering into the woman' s face) is thy 
name, pray tell? 

Human Ease 
My name is Human Ease. 

(Nehemiah tries to move her.) 
With me 'tis well, 
Why should I move? I like it here — to rest 
Is my one business, — that is ever best ! 

Nehemiah 
(Laughs long and joyously. Continues to 
work while he laughs happily. Ease 
sighs, and sighs, and looks disturbed over 
Nehemiah's laughter.) 
Human Ease 
Why dost thou work and laugh? Why work? 

Alas! 
(She rises wearily from her couch of build- 

102 



ing material and appears much annoyed as 
Nehemiah continues to work and laugh.) 
I cannot live with work! 

(Brushing wearily past Nehemiah.) 
Knave, let me pass! 
(exit Human Ease) 
(Enter JEALOUSY. She is a deceitful looking 
woman with face wreathed in vain smiles. 
She approaches Nehemiah and looks 
with sinister smiles at his work.) 
Jealousy 
Why this is Nehemiah? (with surprise) 

Long ago 
I knew thee. We were friends, dost thou 

recall 
Those days in Babylon ? I little knew 
That thou wouldst prove a master over all 
This mighty work! 

(Smiling with pained expression.) 
No one is more rejoiced than I am, friend, 
At all thy progress! 
(As if trying to convince herself of her joy.) 

Ah, I am so glad 
Thou dost so well, my friend; and if I had 
My way, I would confer on thee all good ! 
I am not jealous, — all is understood 
With me. No one could wish thee more than I 
Of great success ! 

(As if determined he would believe her.) 

103 



So glad — so glad, friend! Why 
This vast success ? 

Nehemiah 

(not looking up from his work) 

I know thy voice ! Thy face I have not seen ! 

Thy words spell J-e-a-1-o-u-s-y. I have not 

been 
Deceived by all thou say'st of my success, — 
I know full well, thou lovest me no less 
Than this work I would do. Go from me, go, 
Admiring jealousy. Thou canst not know 
The purpose of my days. Why shouldst thou 

tell 
Me pleasing nothings of my work, when hell 
Is where ye wish to drag me? 

(Lifting his eyes in prayer.) 

Ah, 'tis true 
"Of mine own self, I do no thing," one prays, 
In future years : 

(as if in prophesy) 

"Yea, I forever do 
(Jealousy with poisoned, admiring glances 

exits) 
That which the Father does;" indeed, God's 

ways 
Are higher than my thoughts. 
(Raising high his hands as if he were fairly 
lifted up from the earth) 

Father, thanks, praise! 

104 



(Nehemiah turns again to the wall An of- 
ficious woman enters and approaches him. 
She wears a very anxious expression. She 
is Idolatry.) 

Idolatry 
(looking longingly at Nehemiah. He turns 
away from her with expression of annoy- 
ance and hatred. Nehemiah drops a tool. 
Idolatry picks it up and at the same time 
breaks a very valuable tool which is close 
at hand. Nehemiah angrily pushes the 
woman aside. Idolatry quickly measures 
a gate for him with no degree of exact- 
ness.) 
I idolize thee, friend. This work ye do 
I would do for thee. 

Nehemiah 
(much annoyed — to Idolatry) 
No! (pushing her roughly aside). Vain, vain 
Idolatry. Speak not to me again. 
(Nehemiah continues working, but at every 
turn Idolatry interrupts his efforts with 
over-solicitous attention. Firmly, to Ne- 
hemiah.) 
I shall not give thee up! Thy angry pride 

At my attentions 

Nehemiah 
(interrupting) 
Go from me! (angrily). This wide 

105 



World surely furnisheth enough of space 
So that I never need to see thy face ! 
I loathe thee! I despise thee, fiendish curse! 
Of all sin's leeches, none was ever worse! 
Idolatry 
(pleased at curses, smiling) 
I idolize thee! Nothing thou canst say 
Shall ever turn my love for thee away. 
Nehemiah 
(scornfully) 
Thy love for me ! Thou hind'r'st all I do ! 
Thy love for me ! No word of this is true ! 
Thy useless, harmful hindrances I hate! 

Idolatry 
Ah, I am used to curses. Yea, I wait 

For thy attentions 

(to Nehemiah) 
(interrupting) 

My attentions! No! 
Thou shalt have none from me — thou woman, 

go! 
(Idolatry brings a heavy mantle and wraps 
it closely about Nehemiah so that he can- 
not lift his hands to his work. With great 
effort, he casts the cloak aside.) 
Idolatry 
(trying again to wrap the mantle about Ne- 
hemiah, who continues to cast it aside) 
Ah, it is cold, my friend, and thou shalt be 

106 



Forever blessed and comforted by me. 
I am Idolatry, close Family Tie, 
I shall not leave thee, dear, till thou shalt die. 
I am the finite love of those who fear 
For thee. I shall be ever, ever near. 
(throwing her arms closely about Nehe- 
miah's neck, she clings tenaciously to him) 
Thee all thy life. 

Nehemiah 
(with agonized expression, lifs his eyes to 
heaven in prayer. He does not lift a hand 
to shake the woman from him, although 
he shows in every expression his longing 
to be free from her.) 

There is one God, above, 
Father, I thank Thee that Thy law is love. 
I thank Thee, Father! 

(Idolatry loosens her arms from Nehemi- 
ah's neck. With surprise, to Nehemiah) 

Have I heard aright? 
Thou used to curse me, now within my sight 
Thou giv'st thanks ! 

Nehemiah 
(unconscious of Idolatry) 
Father of love, I thank Thee! 
Idolatry 
(as if determined to win Nehemiah's at- 
tentions. Peering into his face) 
Dear, dost thou see me, too ? 

107 



Give me thy curses, love, pray do, pray do ! 

Nehemiah 

(refusing to see Idolatry) 

Who is so great a God as the One good? 

With Him, alone, all things are understood! 

Idolatry 

(desperately) 

Hast thou no curse to give me, dear? My life 

Is nourished with vain curses, idle strife. 

(pleadingly) 
Give me abuse! Hatred my portion is 
Since time began, and, ah, I feed on this ! 
Nehemiah 
(looking heavenward) 
Who is so great a God as God in heav'n? 
Idolatry 
(beseechingly) 
I need thy curses, dear, let them be giv'n 
That I may live! Idolatry, indeed, 
Feasts on harsh words. Scorn is her hourly 
need. 

Nehemiah 

(patiently, looking heavenward) 

Who is so great a God as God above, 

E'en though I dwell in hell, God still is Love. 

Idolatry 

(clinging closely to NEHEMIAH ) 

Ah, I am sure thou need'st me. Dear, I know 

108 



That I must follow thee where thou wouldst 
go! 

Nehemiah 

I thank Thee, I can see but God's own ways. 

For all Life gives me, may I offer praise ! 

Idolatry 

(weeping) 

Thou praiseth me? (sadly) Alas! Praise 

me? Me? 

Nehemiah 

(firmly) 

That which God gives me brings nor curse, 

nor shame. 
For all God sends me, may I praise His name. 
Idolatry 
(weeping bitterly, leaving) 
Base, cruel world, that will not grant me all 
The curses and abuse for which I call. 
I crave for these ! When kindness comes I go 
Back to idolatry, and hell, and woe. 
(weeping bitterly, exits) 
Nehemiah 
(with bowed head, as if in deep thought) 
A teacher came to earth, and said that we, 
Earth's toilers, have one God and thus are 

free; 
Thou shalt have no more gods than One, 
saith he. 
(Looking up as if wondering where 

109 



Idolatry had gone.) 
Idolatry is gone! I murmured much 
At her attentions ! Ah, I loathed her touch ! 
(Idolatry hearing these last words, again 
steps forward to enter. Enter the five 
women, Intuition, Patience, Grati- 
tude, Charity and Wakefulness. They 
stand about Nehemiah.) 
(Addressing the five women. Idolatry 
quickly drops back from entrance.) 
Now I can see that kindness changed to wine, 
Earth's water. God be praised! let not 

mine 
Iniquities be called to mind! In deed 
And word, let me be thankful that Love's 

creed 
Is never murmuring, nor vain abuse. 
0, may I have one God, and rightly choose 
Whom I shall serve. One God is All-in-all, 
And God is Love! Father, on Thee I call 
To save me from each hind'ring thought of 

fear. 
There shall be no more pain ; no, nor one tear 
Of woe, as we remember God's great love 
Meets every need in earth and heav'n above. 
(The five women smile approvingly ; they 

exeunt.) 
(A quiet woman enters and approaches Ne- 
hemiah. She is Self-Righteousness. 

no 



With pious expression — to Nehemiah.) 
Self-Righteousness 
I am one who comes to thee, my friend, 
To tell thee I have never seen thee bend 
To evil. All these Jews, a crooked set, 
Have wrought, indeed, but now they would 

forget 
The need of further toil. Just thou, just 

thou, 
Art worthy ! Dost thou not see ? 
(Nehemiah listens with pleased expression) 

Now, ah, now, 
Thou canst! 

(clapping her hands for joy) 
Come, then, Sanballat sends the word, 
And Geshem, and Tobiah, — they have heard 
How selflessly thou toil'st, and they would see 
Thee well rewarded for thy industry. 
(Nehemiah leans his arm heavily upon 
Self-Righteousness' shoulder, and slow- 
ly walks with her to exit His feet drag 
as if he were very weary. Not a word 
is spoken.) 

Nehemiah 

(low voice) 

Yes, yes, 'tis true. I toil alone, 'tis true. 

The world's great burdens fall upon a few! 

(Just as he is about to exit with Self- 

Righteousness, Nehemiah slowly steps 

111 



back and takes his arm from her shoul- 
der. He looks her searchingly in the 
face.) 
Thou hast not told thy name! Thy face is 

scarred 
With many marks, as if thou long hast 

warred ! 
"I am doing (slowly) a great work (slowly) 

so that 
I cannot come down. 

(turns toward wall) 
Why should the work cease 
(he picks up his tools and begins to measure 
the door openings) 

whilst I leave it 
and come down to you?" 
(Self-Righteousness turns dejectedly and 
walks toward exit. Nehemiah begins 
hammering loudly at gates.) 
Self-Righteousness 
(at exit) 
(addressed pleadingly to Nehemiah, who re- 

gards her disapprovingly) 
We have been friends in days long passed 

away. 
Self-Righteousness, dost thou remember, 

pray, 
How kind a friend I have been unto thee? 

112 



(pleadingly) 
Why dost thou, then, refuse to go with me? 
(Exit Self-Righteousness. Nehemiah con- 
tinues his work on the walls. HURRY 
comes in running. Dashes about stage, 
breathing excitedly. Rushes up to Nehe- 
miah, and knocks over the gate which he 
slowly and carefully is fitting into place.) 
Nehemiah 
(looking curiously at Hurry as he is dashing 

madly about from one thing to another) 
There is no need for hurry. Ah, I know 
Thy name. 'Tis hurry, worry, lack of time ! 
There is, indeed, no reason, no, nor rhyme 
In thy existence. If thou wouldst not waste 
Thy days, remember, hurry hinders haste. 
Hurry 
(grabbing Nehemiah by the arm and 
pushing him around) 
Ah, friend, the time is short. This wall 

should go 
Up much more quickly! Thou art slow, so 

slow. 
Clamp that gate into place! 
(Seizes gate, it crashes from Nehemiah'S 
hand and drops down upon other clashing 
irons.) 

Stand back, thou knave, 
Canst thou not see the hours we might save ? 

113 



Quick, bring that mortar ! And that trowel 

now! 
(Harsh commanding tone. Nehemiah does 

not obey the orders.) 
Thou fool, thou knave, why falter? Quick! 

But thou 
Art slow! 

(Hurry rushes about smashing everything) 
Nehemiah 
(calmly) 
I do not thy dictations heed. God's ways 
Are higher than thy ways. My loving praise 
Goes to the Father who now leadeth me 
Beside still waters of tranquillity. 
Of all the messengers Sanballat had 
Thou art the one that make the men least 

glad,— 
For thou art ignorance which never once 
Hath wrought one thing except, — to act the 

dunce. 
Thou canst not curse my work, nor interfere 
With my sure progress heavenward. The 

way 
Of true advancement is to wait and pray. 
The one who hastens on shall know calm 

poise, 
While hurry retrogrades with deafening 

noise. 
The one who acts is always gentle, still; 

114 



While hurry, doing nothing, tries to fill 

The world with the importance of its ways. 

(Raising his eyes to heaven as if in prayer 
while Hurry rushes from the scene.) 

Father, thy active quietness, I praise! 

(A small man, Persecution, carrying a whip 
of many cords, enters. He appears proud 
of himself. He glides craftily here and 
there and everywhere. Nehemiah, not 
observing Persecution's entrance, con- 
tinues his work. Persecution wickedly 
looks at Nehemiah as he works and gives 
him a fearful lash with the whip on his 
back. The Cupbearer, startled, looks up 
with pained expression. Enter Self-Pity 
and Self-Righteousness. They say 
nothing, but stand solicitously at Ne- 
hemiah's side. Nehemiah, taking a 
few steps, observes Persecution standing 
prominently before him, and immediately 
the Cupbearer's expression of suffering 
changes to a look of vain relief.) 
Nehemiah 
(to Persecution) 

Ah ha, I see thee now, thou gav'st the blow 

That turned me from my work ! I know thy 
name, — 

Tis Persecution. Yea, I surely know 

115 



That thou hast caused me all this grief and 

shame ! 
(As Nehemiah weeps, Persecution, step- 
ping out into a more prominent position, 
appears to be most happy.) 
Persecution 
(proudly, to Nehemiah) 
Ah, yes, I struck the blow at thee, my friend, 
My name is Persecution ; many fear 
The grief and ravages I daily send 
To those whose mission is to conquer here. 

(proudly) 
I struck the blow! 

(strutting about as if pleased 
with himself) 
Nehemiah 
(turning sadly to his work 
—to himself) 
He struck the blow ! Ah, me, 
When shall I from the curse of self be free? 
(These words are said discontentedly as if 
dissatisfied with himself and the whole 
world. Persecution, turning quickly, 
strikes the Cupbearer a stinging blow, 
this time over the head.) 
'Twas thou, 

(turning defiantly toward Self-Pity ) 
self-pity, who hath done this thing! 
I shall not take thy curses ! Suffering 

116 



(lashes Nehemiah cruelly over the head) 
Is not my portion ! 

(again Persecution steals up behind and 
lashes Nehemiah cruelly over the head) 

Persecution 
(appearing boldly before Nehemiah) 

No, No, 'twas I who lashed thee, — 
My name is Persecution. 

(pleadingly) 

Call me so, 
And credit me with all I do ! 
Nehemiah 
(turns to his work. Again Persecution 
strikes a stinging blow) 

I know 
This cruel blow came from self-righteous- 
ness! 

(Turns defiantly toward Self- 

Righteousness.) 

Persecution 

(as if offended) 

Ah, no, it did not! I, to thee, profess, 

I struck the blow! 

Nehemiah 
(to Persecution) 
I scorn, indeed, each word thou sayest, 

knave ! 
And call thee not by name that thou wouldst 
crave. 

117 



Persecution 
(eagerly) 
'Twas Persecution struck the blow, I, I, 
My name is Persecution, why, 0, why 
Not credit me with all I do? Why pray? 
Nehemiah 
(firmly) 
I scorn, indeed, each word thou sayest; nay, 
I need not thee believe ! I shall not say 
Thy name. 

Persecution 
(angrily) 
I go! I shall not stay,-— not here! 
Unless thou call'st me Persecution, Fear! 
I like my name; no other one, alas, 
Becometh me. 

(Brushing with disgust past Nehemiah, 
Persecution takes Self-Pity, and Self- 
Righteousness, each, by the arm, and 
leads them away.) 
Knave, traitor, let me pass! 
(Persecution, Self-Pity and Self-Right- 
eousness walk defiantly together to en- 
trance. They exeunt.) 
(Enter Enemy. He has almost the exact ap- 
pearance of Nehemiah, except his care- 
less, insincere manner. He creeps stealth- 
ily about and wickedly tries to undermine 
all of Nehemiah's work. Several loud 

113 



reports indicate that powder explosions 
are going on.) 

Nehemiah 
Thou cursed fool! Thou Enemy of mine, 

{trying to push Enemy away) 
Why dost thou come to ruin all my days — 
Thou, hypocrite, thou traitor, coward, knave, 
I loathe thy very face! 

Enemy 

Hold, sir. Pray save 
Thy curses! 

Nehemiah 

Curses? 
(as if questioning himself) 

Curses? What are they 
To drive this Enemy of mine away? 

(looking closely at Enemy) 
Where have I seen that face, that cruel 

smile ? 
(seizing Enemy and shaking him vigorously) 
I know thee now. 

(rubbing his eyes) 

Blinded was I a while 
To whom thou wert. Thou hast my very face 
With fear's contortions. 

(Enemy makes ugly grimaces) 
(Nehemiah's hands raised as if in prayer) 
Give me strength and grace, 
Father, ever to know my enemy 

119 



Is but the fear of self mine own eyes see. 
Ah, enemy, 

(to Enemy) 
I truly know that thou 
Hath counterfeited me. Go! Now, now, 
Now! 

(exit Enemy) 
(Enter a shrunken, fearful man; he appears 
to be annoyed over everything. He is 
Love of Money.) 

Love of Money 
(to Nehemiah) 
Here, listen to me ! I have much to say 
For thine own good. I have a wondrous plan 
For earning money quickly, and a man 
Like thee would do so well, so well for me! 
Come with me, I can truly make thee free. 

(eagerly) 
I have an income I will give to thee, 
Gold in abundance, so thou need'st not be 
Fettered by weary toil. Activity 
And thou shalt part. Until ye die, indeed, 
Thou shalt have money for each daily need. 
(The little man walks nervously about as he 
speaks. He is constantly taking papers 
and gold from his pockets that he may 
figure up the total of his wealth. He ap- 
pears disturbed over the process, ill-aU 
ease with himself and the world.) 

120 



There is so much to gain, — notes, bonds, 
yea, all 

Of lands and houses, mortgages! 
(eagerly) 

I call 

On thee to help me with this mighty work. 

(Love of Money takes Nehemiah command- 
ingly by the arm as if he would lead him 
away. Nehemiah draws back.) 

What, wouldst thou fail me, wouldst thou 
even shirk 

The duty each wouldst grasp to earn — to 
earn — ? 

(Love of Money takes quantities of gold from 
apparently inexhaustible pockets and 
heaps the treasure, alluringly, about Ne- 
hemiah's feet Nehemiah makes as 
if he would turn away from the gold, 
but is almost unable to do so.) 

Dost thou shrink back, dost thou not yearn, 
not yearn 

For this? 

(pointing to heaps of gold) 

Nehemiah 

(hesitatingly, addressing himself) 

This mortar, and these joists, I know 

Must yet be paid for ! 

(As if half reaching out for the money. 
Darkness falls as Nehemiah is struggling 

121 



over the heap of gold.) 

To pay (hesitatingly) as I go, 
Is all I ask! 

(as if justifying himself) 

God knows, God knows, this gold 
Hath no attraction for me, but I hold 
It precious — just — to — meet 

(as if trying to convince himself) 

my daily need. 
(Daily Human Needs, come flocking in, 
Do.rkness creeps on. Nehemiah hesitat- 
ingly reaches out his hands to the gold. 
While the darkness deepens, he may be 
seen walking in the shadows away from 
the gold, and, as he walks, he prays. 
Love of Money snatches up the coin and 
carries it to a position near the entrance. 
At this moment, the scene again becomes 
as bright as morning.) 
One comes in future years whose every deed 
Shall prove the Father's infinite supply 
(Love of Money beckons alluringly 
to Nehemiah) 
Both meet each hourly need ; then, why 

should I 
E'er falter in this work when God, alone, 
Doth pay for every joist and beam and stone? 
(Nehemiah stands as if in prayer. A flock 
of creditors, representing, collectively, 

122 



Daily Human Needs, come hastening in 
presenting their bills for payment. Be- 
holding Love of Money with his heaps of 
gold standing at entrance, the creditors 
believe him to be Nehemiah's steward; 
and, quickly depositing their bills, they 
snatch up Love of Money's money and 
depart, each one saying as he leaves: 
"Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy 
brother; usury of money — usury of any- 
thing that is lent upon usury" 

(Deut. 23:19.) 
Love of Money 
(beholding that his riches have suddenly dis- 
appeared, despairingly to Nehemiah) 
'Twas mine, 'twas mine, 'twas mine, and now 

'tis lost — 
Think of the endless toil it cost, it cost! 
(Weeps bitterly while looking where his 
heaps of gold had been.) 
Nehemiah 
(compassionately) 
Poor love of money, thou art richer now 
Than thou hast ever been. 

(Love of Money shakes his head.) 
Yea, now ; yea, thou ! 
Thou, hast, indeed, no money now to love, 
Yet God hath riches that ye dream not of. 
(Going with tender compassion to LOVE OF 



123 



Money and embracing him.) 
Dear outcast, let me even call thee, friend 
Let this be thy new name, and let me lend 
Thee all I have, — a thought, a word of cheer. 
Friend, may Love bless thee on thy journeys 

here. 
Robbed of the useless dross thou hadst, I see 

(peering closely into his eyes) 
Thine eyes are bright with immortality. 
Such are thy riches, gold, — the light of youth, 
(Love op Money straightens up; appears 

youthful and happy.) 
Love in abundance, yea, the gain of Truth. 
Ah, friend, the harvests mortals daily glean 
From their earth's losses ! None hath surely 

seen 
More wondrous wealth than this! My 

friend, my friend, 
Thou hast lost all, and, yet, hath all to lend ! 
(Nehemiah and his Friend shake hands. 

Exit the Friend, formerly LOVE OF 

Money. Nehemiah steps forward — with 

hands outstretched.) 
Ah, World, when Love of Money comes, the 

light 
Of heav'n fades, and falls the darkest night 
Of self. When Love of Money goes, the way 
Grows ever brighter till effulgent day 

124 



Of Truth hath dawned. Then, never human 
need 

Shall reach us, since the Father hath, indeed, 

Met every one abundantly! Ah, World, 

For centuries thou shalt be cast, yea, hurled 

Within the maelstrom of earth's search for 
dross. 

From self thou shalt be cleansed, till human 
loss 

Nor gain shall mar thy journeyings. Ah, 
World, 

(as if in prophecy) 

Thou shalt have all ! God's ensign, then, un- 
furled 

Shall make of thee one nation, strong and 
free, 

Provisioned with Truth's immortality. 



125 



CANTICLE VIII. 

Description : Same as Canticle VII. Morn- 
ing scene. Over-bright sun 
typifying unrest. Enter 
twelve very small children. 
They quarrel incessantly 
among themselves. They 
constantly get in Nehemi- 
AH's way and howl angrily 
over the least provocation. 
Collectively they represent 
Human Birth. 

Discovered: Twelve noisy children troop- 
ing in. 

Human Birth (First Small Child) 
(stubbing toe on building material and howl- 
ing bitterly) 
Oh, my, oh, my, oh, my, my toe ! 

(sitting down and holding toe in hands) 

my toe ! 
(All of the children crowd noisily about the 
injured one. Some of them laugh mis- 
chievously. Some of them push and 
crowd and knock each other over. Some 
whine. Some cry for fear. Some laugh 
loudly. The uproar is terrific as one child 

126 



pushes another and shrieks: "Leave me 
alone!" and another shouts: "Coward!" 
Suddenly someone throws bright colored 
baubles in the midst of the children. To- 
gether they roar hoarsely: "Good, good, 
good, good!" The baubles quickly vanish 
as the children reach put for them. Chil- 
dren all howl as baubles vanish.) 

Nehemiah 
(tenderly, to children) 
Where have I seen before such human woe? 
Where have I seen such poor untempered zest 
O'er life's vain baubles which but live at best 
One moment? 

(as if remembering) 
Ah, I recall, in days long gone, 
I, too, believed myself a child who grew 
As others bade me. 

Human Birth (Second Small Child) 
(accusing all the children) 
He knew, he, he knew! 

Human Birth (Third Small Child) 
(snatching something from another child) 
He took that! 

Human Birth (Fourth Small Child) 
It's mine! 

Human Birth (Fifth Small Child) 
I tell ye, it's mine ! (sobbing) 

127 



Human Birth (Sixth Small Child) 
It's mine. 

Human Birth (Seventh Small Child) 
I had it first! 

Human Birth (Eighth Small Child) 
I did! 

Human Birth (Ninth Small Child) 
He took it ! 

Human Birth (Tenth Small Child) 
It's mine. 

Human Birth (Eleventh Small Child) 
She stole it! 

Human Birth (Twelfth Small Child) 
He did! Shame! Coward! 

Human Birth (First Small Child) 
(trying to protect a child) 
Leave him alone, he's my brother. 

(Indicating child and pushing tormentor 
aside scornfully.) 

You! You! 
Nehemiah 
The words of God may now be understood. 
(beholding the quarreling of children) 
I credit not mine eyes. This is not true. 
(Raising hand as if stilling a tempest. The 
children immediately become quiet and 
listen.) 
Love knows no human birth, self's devious 
ways 

128 



Of f retf ulness, and fear, and shouts of praise ! 
Naught can deny that God is Father of 
All men and that He doth create through 
love! 
(Compassionately to the children.) 
Dear children, how I love thee, waifs of 

earth, 
God will reveal to thee thine own new birth ! 

(as if in prohpecy) 
To-day, the tribes of Israel shall come, 
Yea, twelve of them, to lead thee safely home, 
Beside still waters, where man hath not age 
Nor youth ! 
(The children, as if in prayer, clasp their 
hands and look up to heaven.) 
Come, tribes of Israel, come here! 
(Enter twelve Israelites, six men and six 
women. There is a hushed silence while 
each one takes a child gently by the 
hand.) 

All the Children 

(together) 

How glad we are! There is naught now to 

fear! 
(Each of the twelve children, led by a rep- 
resentative of the twelve tribes of Israel, 
passes by Nehemiah. The Cupbearer 
tenderly places his hand on each child as 
if giving a blessing.) 

129 



Nehemiah 
Thou shalt be safely led o'er moor and fen, 
And shouldst thou stumble thou shalt rise 
again. 

(lovingly to children) 
These Tribes of Israel shall guard and tell 
Thee how to go. Dear children, all is well ! 
Truth's peace be ever with thee on thy way 
To Life, eternal, and effulgent day, 
Where man is neither old nor young — where 

he 
Dwells as God's image through eternity. 
(The children and Twelve Tribes of Israel 
quietly pass from the stage.) 

(Brightness of noon-day. Ex- 
cessive heat, denoting weari- 
ness.) 
(Enter Maturity, a man who appears to 
be fast growing old.) 
Maturity 
(fearfully to Nehemiah) 
I fear for thee ! Thou art not well, alas ! 
Why shouldst thou work, my friend, thy 

youth will pass 
From thee ! 

(peering into Nehemiah's face) 

Or, hath it gone, indeed, — 
The while thou toilest over work's dead 
creed? 

130 



I am afraid for thee, thou troubPst me! 
This heat is very great ! Alas, my friend, 
I fear for thee — I do so long to send 
Thee to thy rest in bed of ease, to-day, 
Where thou couldst sleep earth's stupid 
hours away. 

Nehemiah 
(scornfully) 
I know this argument, maturity — 
This cursed falsity, this cruel fear — 
This baseless nothing cannot enter here. 
Man is forever young, forever old, 
Forever childlike — God's law hath foretold ! 

(Pushes Maturity beyond exit.) 
(Enter a dark, sinister-looking man with 
long, flowing robes. He carries a large 
black sack over his shoulder. His robes 
fly about as if blown by the wind. He 
is Discouragement.) 

(Night falls. Extremely cold 
and desolate.) 
Discouragement 
(to Nehemiah) 
What, alone! Where are the lazy Jews to- 
day? 
Thou workest here so long, and wherefore, 

pray? 
Thou hast, indeed, no portion when 'tis done. 

131 



(Nehemiah drops his hammer, rubs his 

forehead and listens.) 

I often wonder why thou shouldst do 

This useless work and slay thyself ! Tis true 

No Jew will thank thee. Come, and rest, my 

friend. 
A chariot awaits without. Just lend 
Thy time to us a while, and thou shalt be 
Repaid, indeed, for thy sincerity. 
Here no one knows. 

(Nehemiah sadly assents.) 
Yea, no one cares ! 

(Nehemiah agrees) 

I see 
Thou art well-nigh discouraged. 

(Nehemiah leans dejectedly against the 
wall.) 
Come with me ! 
(Nehemiah takes a few steps toward Dis- 
couragement and draws back.) 
I journey incognito and 'tis well — 
I am of noble birth. Come, I will tell 
Thee of thy portion, sleep ; thy sacred right 
To take the easy way of work. Dark night 
Enfolds thee in oblivion, my friend. 
(Long arms, with flowing sleeves, held high 

over Nehemiah's head.) 
Trust all to me, trust all, and I will send 
Thy soul to hell (eagerly) and there my par- 

132 



ent, Death, 

Will rob thee of thine all,— thy very breath! 

(Takes from the sack thrown over his shoul- 
der a handful of seeds, and scatters them 
about. As seeds fall, loud, harsh noises 
are heard.) 

This is my grain, — seeds of dismay. Why 
stand 

Beside that wall in danger? 

(Fearful noises as seeds fall. Nehemiah, 
frightened, drops tools from his hands.) 
From thine hand 
(indicating tools) 

They fall ! Come, let us in God's house now 
meet, 

Within the temple. Fear would slay thee! 

(Loud reports of hail and sleet. Flashes of 
lightning. Stage becomes like blackest 
night. Evil imps, small of stature, whisk 
about everywhere. They tug at Nehe- 
miah's garments, bearing him almost to 
the ground, hang about his neck, whisper 
in his ear and mock him.) 

Sleet, 

Hail, and lightning, — in the night they come. 

(Discouragement steps forward and takes 
Nehemiah's hand as if to lead him from 
danger.) 

133 



Come with me, friend, and I will lead thee 

home — 
Straight to our safe abiding place in hell. 
Come with me, and my parent, Death, will 

tell 
Thee of thy greatness ! 
(Nehemiah goes with him a few steps. The 
hail, thunder, and lightning cease and 
imps drop down behind heaps of building 
material. A false, convenient peace 
seems to settle down.) 

Nehemiah 
(with a start, as if awakening) 
To— tell— of me— me? 

Discouragement 
(quickly as if correcting his words) 
To let thee tell of all the work that thou 
Hast wrought upon these walls. Come with 
me, now! 

Nehemiah 
(drawing back) 
To speak of one's own self is at a loss ! 
God bears true witness here ! Why should I 

cross 
The barriers of hell to talk with thee 
And Death about myself? I must be free ! 
Discouragement 
(still pleading) 
How still it is, — so quiet now! Ah, see, 

134 



Thou may'st have peace if thou wilt come 
with me. 

(Nehemiah draws himself up to his full 
height, 'and towers above DISCOURAGE- 
MENT who appears to shrivel away almost 
to nothing.) 

Nehemiah 
(to Discouragement) 

I ask, should such a man as I then flee? 

(Steps with firm strides to wall and, seizing 
huge gates, clamps them into place. Dis- 
couragement partially rises again and 
begins once more to scatter seeds but the 
sounds are very faint and soon die away. 
In low, weak voice Discouragement tries 
to argue with Nehemiah, who continues 
his work.) 

Discouragement 
(to Nehemiah) 

Come — Come — (very faint, — hail — thunder 
— lightning — ) 

(very low voice) Come — come home — 

Home — ( very low ) — home — home — hell — 
home — 

Home — home — hell — home — home. 

(Nehemiah rises to full height beside the 
nearly finished wall. One of the few last 
gates is clamped into place. He pays no 
heed to the whisperings of DISCOURAGE- 

135 



ment but joyously continues his task.) 

Nehemiah 

(to himself — proudly) 

'Tis nearly finished! (sigh of relief) Ah! I 

have done well, 
To stand against my enemies and foes. 
How well I wrought, the future ages tell, 
How well I stood, the God in heaven knows! 
(As Nehemiah speaks of himself, one of the 
smallest and most persistent of imps 
perches on a pile of building material, 
and just as Nehemiah finishes these 
words, the imp tries to press a dark, green 
vial between his lips.) 
Imp 
(pressing vial to Nehemiah's lips) 
Taste, taste it, friend, 'tis very, very sweet. 
Nehemiah 
(struggling to get away) 
Why should I taste it? 
(as he speaks, the Imp quickly pours some of 
its contents down his throat?) 
Imp 
(to Nehemiah) 

Because 'tis truly meet 
That thou shouldst know all woe. 

Nehemiah 
This (striking vial from his mouth) taste 
(tasting), it is — 

136 



Like cursed poison ! 

(As he begins to moan, Death enters dressed 
in black flowing robe; he is very old and 
bent.) 

Death 

(to Nehemiah) 

Did some one call? Is this 

The place where I am wanted? 

Nehemiah 

(to Death) 

No one called. 
No, not wanted! (angrily) 
Death 
(to Nehemiah) 
I heard a moan, my name, 
Another name for Death; in fact, some know 
No other name for Death but uttered woe! 
(Death steals across the stage and takes 
both of Nehemiah's hands. The Imps 
smile wickedly at Nehemiah while Dis- 
couragement scatters seeds of discord. 
Loud noises, hail, thunder. Flashes of 
lightning. It is still very dark.) 
Thy hands are cold, my friend, just let me 

hold 
Them close! They are so very, very cold. 
(Nehemiah shudders as if overcome with 
cold. Enter Sight, Hearing, Touch, 
Taste, Smell, and quietly take their 

137 



places at his side. They appear power- 
less to act.) 

Nehemiah 
(to the five men, as he sinks down upon a 

pile of building material) 
I see, and smell, and taste, and touch, and 

hear, 
And, yet, I almost yield to cursed fear. 

(calling loudly) 
Come Intuition, Patience, Gratitude, 

(as if in a death struggle) 
Charity, Wakefulness hath understood! 
(Looking appealingly toward five men. 
All senses change forms at once to those of 
women.) 
Gratitude 
(Kneeling down and speaking clearly into 
Nehemiah's right ear, while Death con- 
tinues to whine in his left ear. Nehe- 
miah's face undergoes a mighty change 
and struggle. The right side of his face, 
while Gratitude is speaking, seems to be 
freed from pain. The left side twitches 
nervously as if in great pain. While 
Gratitude speaks, the scene is bright and 
warm.) 
Thou asked for just one day of gratitude, 
For vict'ry over cares, diseases, fears. 
I heard thee praising God, friend, as I stood 

138 



Beside thee in thy work ! A thousand years 
Of blessings daily come to one who prays 
Rejoicingly, and thanks God for His ways. 
Thou needst not fear this monster, death, 

for he 
Is stupid sleep, weak inactivity. 

(Gratitude rises and steps aside) 

Death 

{whispering whiningly in Nehemiah's left 

ear; scene changes to dark, cold night) 
How dark the night ! I am unloved and old ! 
My happiness is past ! How very cold 
This place is! In the yesterdays, I had 
So many joys to make me very glad. 
I loved the past! This present hour, I hate! 
I want to die! Why stay here? Wherefore 

wait 
For joy within the world, when joy is gone? 
While others have glad days, I mourn alone! 

Intuition 
(kneeling, speaks clearly into Nehemiah's 

right ear. Bright light) 
Death is the myth of myths. Human despair 
And fretfulness its creed. Beset with care, 
Death's other self is age, old age, that lends 
Nor gives joys of to-day. Death's yesterday 

now sends 
It to its doom. 

139 



Nehemiah 

(With doubt, to Intuition; looking fearfully 

toward Death.) 

Thou speak'st as if, indeed, 

Death were not someone! Why say'st: "Its 

creed 
Is fretfulness?" 
Is Death not someone, then ? 
Intuition 
(Bright scene.) 
Death is a counterfeit. Time and again 
It comes to speak to us, as person, when 
It is not person, place, nor anything! 
(Death continues to whine incoherently into 
Nehemiah's left ear. Nehemiah winces 
as if in pain. Intuition rises and steps 
aside. The scene again becomes dark.) 
Nehemiah 
Alas! Alas! This cruel suffering! 
Death 
(exultingly) 
Ah me, ah me, in Babylon, my friend, 
Thou didst have joy as Cupbearer. Why lend 
Thy self to those who have no thought for 

thee? 
None loves nor pities thee! None cares to 

see 
Thee now! I know, for I am old, so old! 
My name is Death, Old Age. Ah, I have told 

140 



Thee mournful facts! 

Nehemiah 
(as if weakening) 

I know! Yea, I grow old! 
My happiness is past ! Friends turn away ! 
It was not thus, alas, in former day ! 
Ah, these are mournful facts which Death 
hath told. 

Patience 
(speaking clearly in Nehemiah's right ear. 

Light) 
Thou shalt prove faithful, friend, patient, 

and kind, 
Thou shalt be grateful still to work and give ! 
— This is the good no man can e'er unbind, — 
Thou shalt be patient that all men may live. 
Thou needst not fear this monster, death. 
Rise, see, 

Tis stupid sleep, weak inactivity. 
Death 
(to Nehemiah 
Night scene.) 
The ones who built with thee, thy very own, 
Hath turned away from thee ; and now, alone, 
Thou faceth the end of all! Is there worse 
Than just to have as heritage Death's curse? 
Why have they turned from thee, those shift- 
less men, 
To let thee die alone, unloved? Ah, when 

141 



Shall we poor mortals wake to sadly see 
We have no portion save disloyalty? 

Nehemiah 
Must we poor mortals wake to sadly see 
We have no portion save disloyalty? 
Why do I mutter words Death speaks to me? 
May I not voice the Truth that sets men free 1 
Why doth it seem all friends have turned 

away? 
Is God not God in heav'n, eternally? 
This work of mine, could it have been for 

naught, — 
Why do I speak of self, what I have wrought? 
Charity 
(comes quietly forward and kneels close 
to Nehemiah 
Bright scene.) 
To speak forever, friend, of God's great good 
Is loving charity; Well understood 
Is man's true character when God is claimed 
As his Creator, — none is cursed nor blamed. 
This work upon this wall is not of men, — 
None shall subtract nor add to it again. 
Thou needst not fear thy work shall pass 

away 
— And this is Life— o'er work death hath no 

sway 
(Death binds Nehemiah with heavy, cold 

142 



chains. Nehemiah groans and breathes 
heavily.) 

(shuddering) 
Nehemiah 
How cold, alas, how very, very cold 
These chains are! 

Wakefulness 
(Light.) 
Yet they cannot ever hold 
Thee from thy work. Thou shalt arise and 

go, 
As victor over sin and fear and woe. 
Death hath no power to bind the one who, 

freed 
From self, goes forth to meet another's need. 
(Nehemiah continues to breathe heavily. He 
appears to be in a death struggle. Death 
exults over every groan.) 
Nehemiah 
(gaspingly) 
Self! Self! Self! 
Self! — From self may I then go? 
Pain! Self! Fear! 
Death! Want! Woe! 

Death 
(exultingly as Nehemiah's breath becomes 

fainter) 
Ah, this is death! I saw it long ago, — 
This closing off of breath ! I know ! I know ! 

143 



Thou saw'st my mother breathe her last and 

go; 
Thy father, too, ye saw it long ago. 
Ah, this is death ! 
It is the separation which I fear. 
Thou shalt be far away from here, from here. 
Thy hands are cold! 

(Holds Nehemiah's hands.) 

Yea, very cold, alas. 
I fear for thee. Thou know'st that I shall pass 
Death's boundaries. 

Nehemiah 
(Rising tviih a struggle, gaspingly.) 
Why dost thou speak of thee 
And me as ever one? 

Death 
Ah, wouldst thou see 
Death's mysteries? 

(As if explainng a puzzle.) 

I would confound, confuse 
Thy name with mine, so that if thou wouldst 

choose 
Thine own, thou shalt, indeed, draw forth 

my name, 
Fast intertwined with thine. This is Death's 

game 
Of self, — a wicked prattle 'tis, indeed, 
To speak thy name and mine together so. 
Yea, Babylon confounded is my creed. 



Thine heritage and mine are self and woe. 

Nehemiah 

(shuddering) 

A tiny speck before my eye appears. 

It blots out all the world ! Death, all thy fears 

Are come to pass! 

(Small black speck dances before Death's 
and Nehemiah's eyes. A dark and 
dreadful cloud, zigzag flashes of lightning. 
A dense, dark mist, spreading itself like a 
heavy cloud settles over all. Shrieks of 
women, screams of children, the shouts of 
men, some screaming, u O, let me die!"; 
some begging, "O, let me die!" ; children 
crying, "O, ivhy must I die!" Many hands 
lifted through the clouds of human war- 
fare as if reaching out vainly for help. 
Nehemiah, with a mighty struggle, 
raises himself on his elbow, and beholds 
the death struggle of a world. The ex- 
pression of his face changes quickly from 
intense fear to tender compassion. He 
reaches out both hands as if he would 
grasp the hands of those extended through 
the dark clouds and mist. Nehemiah, 
with wondrous strength, rises to his feet 
and lifts his eyes to heaven.) 

Self is the speck that now 

Doth dance before my sight ! 

145 



I ask, canst thou 

(As if speaking to All.) 
Not see this speck wouldst shut out all the 

light 
Of good ? Father, I lift mine eyes to thee ! 

(speck disappears) 
The speck of self is vanished ! I am free ! 
I stand a freed man now ! I, strong and well, 
Health, joy and peace, for all mankind fore- 
tell! 
Is all mankind involved in Death's dire woe ; 
Must they through endless night of fear then 

go? 
The world, itself, is perishing, and I 
Am crushed and buried in the heap ! Ah, 

why 
Should they 

(with compassion) 
not rise this moment, now, and be 
Transformed from death to immortality? 

(in earnest prayer) 
God save mankind, this hour! Father, their 

need 
Is more than mine! I pray, may they be 
freed ! 

(as if in prophecy) 
The shepherds, keeping watch, shall see the 
light 

146 



Of one brave star of Love. Yea, though dark 

night 
Of fear may settle o'er the world, they see 
The star of Truth's new birth that makes 

men free! 
(A bright star shines clearly down through 
the night of darkness and dispels the 
gloom. The hands reaching out for help 
vanish in the light.) 
The star that images God's wondrous might 
Of health, and holiness, and endless right. 
Death 
(as if disheartened) 
Thou prayest for the world? Alas, in vain 
I wait for thee ! 

Nehemiah 
(to Death) 
Thy loss becomes earth's gain! 
Death's dream is false ! (triumphantly) An- 
other comes to say: 
"Where is thy sting?" and where, grave, is 

thy way 
Of victory? 
(Death sinks to the floor and falls into a 

dead sleep. Nehemiah laughs joyously.) 
Death takes the form of sleep. 
This is the one disguise that death wouldst 
keep. 

147 



(Nekemiah calls messengers; 

two men enter.) 

Come, Messengers, and carry out this form 

Of death. Disguised as sleep, death seeks to 

harm 
All men. Self, self alone! Death's very- 
curse 
Is finite fear of self — could there be worse? 
Death is nor person, place, nor anything — 
Its one disguise is self and suffering. 
(The messengers carry Death from the 
stage. Nehemiah turns back to his work 
on the wall. Discouragement creeps up 
behind him.) 
"lis finished, as our enemies shall see. 
My God, think thou upon them, those who 

cursed 
Our labor ! Not for once, not once, I durst 
Not think of them! 

Discouragement 

(trying to peer into Nehemiah's 

face; whispering) 

Come, we will talk of thee. Come, hell, come, 

home! 
Come, let us ponder thy life's martyrdom! 

Nehemiah 
(Discouragement looks about and beckons 
as if to unseen allies. All of the evil mes- 
sengers previously appearing in this 

148 



scene hasten in, bearing flaming vials of 
boiling oil and pitch, Nehemiah is fairly 
flooded with this scorching hot fluid which 
is poured in floods over the walls. For a 
time Nehemiah appears besmirched with 
a hideous coat of pitch,) 

Besire-to-be-Alone 
We are Desire-to-be-Alone, sin's throng 
Of evil messengers — we are pride's strong 
Desire to think of self for good or ill; 
Desire to be alone is our one will! 

Nehemiah 
To think of one's own self is at a loss. 
God's secret place is here! I bear no cross. 
I know thee, troops of persons, places, 

things, — 
Thou art desire-to-be-alone which brings 
These barriers of hell to me and thee. 
Though multitudes are with me, I am free! 
Desire to share, desire to do and give, 
Desire to lend myself that men may live; 
This, then, is joyous rest, — home, heaven, all. 
Desire to be with men, to heed the call 
Of all mankind, — yea, each desire to be 
With others brings life, immortality. 
(As these last words are spoken, the coat of 
pitch which previously enveloped Ne- 
hemiah rolls off, leaving him with 

149 



cleansed, glorified countenance. Evil mes- 
sengers depart.) 
(Nehemiah works on undaunted, clamping 
the last gate into place, and hammering 
joyously while all of his helpers, includ- 
ing the daughters of Shallum, come 
thronging in. Nehemiah, turning sud- 
denly, beholds Discouragement, who still 
hides behind him.) 

All 
We come to bring thee courage, friend. We 

know 
Thou hast withstood the battery of foe. 
(Nehemiah looks Discouragement unflinch- 
ingly in the eye — to Discouragement) 
Ha ! After death hath fall'n, for very shame, 
Ye follow me, — discouragement, — 
(derisively) 

no name! 
(Discouragement trembles for fear as he 
sees the company which comes to encour- 
age Nehemiah. When he hears his name 
called, he cowers back toward the exit.) 
Discouragement 
(shrinking away) 
The lie hath turned upon me, now I go 
Back to discouragement, and hell, and woe ! 



150 



(Exit Discouragement, in shriveled, shrink- 
ing form. All laugh joyously as he fades 
away.) 

Nehemiah 

(to All) 

This work is wrought of God. Yea, He, alone, 

Hath surely built this wall, stone upon stone. 

(The five women stand closely about him; 

a star shines brightly over all.) 



151 



CANTICLE IX 

Sabbath Rest, Followed by Evil's 
Accusations 

Description : Showing completed walls. The 
bright light of a Sabbath 

morning shines over all. 

Discovered: A vast company of men, 
ivomen, and children, sing- 
ing praises for the comple- 
tion of the walls. 

All 

(singing together) 

"0 give thanks unto the Lord : for He is good ; 

for His mercy endureth forever. 
give thanks unto the God of gods ; for His 
mercy endureth forever. 

give thanks to the Lord of lords; for His 

mercy endureth forever. 
To Him who alone doeth great wonders; for 
His mercy endureth forever." 

(Ps. 136:1-4.) 

(Enter Nehemiah with Hanani 

and Hananiah) 

Nehemiah 

(to Hanani and Hananiah) 

1 give thee charge over Jerusalem, — 
The while I depart to my lord, the King. 

152 



Let thy singers sing a glad anthem; 
Everyone faithful let him praise and sing : 
Glory to God on High! 

Hanani 
(to Nehemiah) 

I take thy charge. 
Nehemiah 
(to Hananiah) 
"Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened 

until the sun be hot; 
And while they stand by, 
Let them shut the doors, and bar them : 
And appoint watches of the inhabitants of 

Jerusalem ; 
Every one in his watch, 
And every one to be over against his house." 
Thou art a captain, commanded to keep 
Watch over Israel ; faint not nor sleep. 
All 
(intoning) 
(addressed to Ezra, the Scribe) 
Bring the' Book of the Law of Moses 
Which the Lord hath commanded to Israel. 
Bring the Book. Let its pages tell 
The words of the Law, which the Lord, our 

God 
Hath commanded to Israel. 
(Ezra, the priest, brings the Book of the Law 
before the men and women; and reads 

153 



therein before the water gate. He stands 

upon a pulpit of wood. Beside him stand 

several men.) 

Ezra 
(reading from parchment Bible) 
"Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; 
Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of 

heavens, 
With all their host, the earth, and all the 

things that are therein, 
The seas, and all that is therein, 
And Thou preserveth them all; 
And the host of heaven worshippeth Thee. 
Thou are the Lord the God, who didst choose 

Abram, 
And broughtest him forth out of Ur of the 

Chaldees, 
And gavest him the name of Abraham; 
And didst see the affliction of our fathers 

in Egypt, 
And heardest their cry by the Red sea ; 
And shewedst signs and wonders upon 

Pharaoh, 
And on all his servants, and on all the people 

of his land ; for Thou knewest 
That they dealt proudly against them. 
And Thou did'st divide the sea before them, 

so 
That they went through the midst of the sea 

154 



on the dry land." 

(The people weep as the Law is read.) 
Nehemiah 
(to All) 
This day is holy unto the Lord your God ; 
Mourn not, nor weep. 
Mourn not, nor weep. 
Go thy way (to the people who still weep) 

— eat the fat, and drink the sweet, 
And send portions unto them for whom 

nothing is prepared; 
For this day is holy unto our God ; 
Neither be ye sorry; 
For the joy of the Lord is thy strength. 
The Levites 
(on either side of Ezra) 
"Hold thy peace for the day is holy ; 
Neither be ye grieved." 
(The people who have prostrated themselves 
rise with olive branches, and pine 
branches, and myrtle branches, and palms, 
and branches of thick trees, and sing to- 
gether.) 

All 
(singing together) 
This day is a day of gladness, 
For we have comprehended 
The words of the law which were read to us, 
Lord thy name we bless. 

155 



(exeunt singers) 
Nehemiah 
(to Hanani) 
I appoint thee keeper of this wall, 
And all Jerusalem. Pray, 
Let not vain pride, nor power nor human 

sway 
Cause one stone e'er to fall. 

(to Eliashib, a relative of Tobiah, 
pointing to temple) 
Watch o'er yon temple wisely. Israel 
Shall be redeemed. God keep thee! All is 

well! 
To-day I return to my lord, the King 
Of Babylon. Indeed, I go to bring 
Him homage, gratitude, and loyalty. 

All 
May peace and joy and health, be e'er with 

thee! 
(As the last words are spoken in farewell, 
enter two messengers from Artaxerxes, 
the King. All exeunt save Nehemiah.) 
First Messenger 
(hastily to Nehemiah) 
A letter to thee, Sir, thy lord, the King, 
Commissioned me to come, quickly to bring 
This message. 

Nehemiah 
(Taking letter, reads it as if not understand- 

156 



ing its contents. He continues to read, as 
if puzzled.) 

I was going there — to-day — 
To Persia — I seek to be a king? (reading) 

May 
I be punished if 'tis true, — I seek, — I 
(reading)To be a king? (puzzled) Of what 

and wherefore? Why 
Should I be king when there is One, alone, — 
The God in heaven? (reading) "And thou 

must well atone 
For all thy vanity. I trusted thee 
And now thou, traitor-like (reading) , 

would'st pillage me 
Of mine own kingdom. Thou must surely be 
An ingrate, so Sanballat says, and he 
Hath proof whereof he speaks. I know no 

way 
Save punishment to curb thy wicked sway." 

Second Messenger 
(while First Messenger steps to Nehemi- 

ah's side and both bind him with chains) 
We take thee prisoner. 

Nehemiah 
(to Messengers) 

I was to come 
Of myself as King's Cupbearer, (pondering) 

My home 
Is not an earthly kingdom. God is good, 

157 



And He, indeed, hath surely understood. 
This work upon the walls, canst thou not 

see 

(pointing with chained hand to wall) 
Was truly mine own kingdom ! Just to free 
Another from the curse of poverty 
And sin and fear, my friends, is all I ask 
Of earthly kingdom, — just my daily task. 
(Exit Nehemiah bound with chains between 
the two messengers.) 

CANTICLE X 
Description: A vast underground rock 
quarry. Blinding smoke 
from the blasting. Deso- 
late, weird surroundings. 
Discovered: Several slaves and overseer 
silently at work crushing 
stones. They each groan 
under the desperate burden 
of the work. Sanballat 
and Geshem stand at one 
side and watch the workers 
with sinister glee. 
Time: Several years later. 
(Enter Nehemiah. He is carrying heavy 
blasting materials. He lays down his bur- 
den and begins hewing out the largest of 
the rocks. As he works, just above him 

158 



appears a wondrous picture of the Pyra- 
mids. Nehemiah glances up from his 
work but, at the same time, renews his 
blows on the rock, vbhich yields easily. 
He beholds the picture just above him and 
smiles approvingly as he notes the unfold- 
ment of the world's history in the appear- 
ing of these massive Egyptian structures. 
Again Nehemiah glimpses the completed 
Temple and walls of Jerusalem. A won- 
drous city lies beyond. His work upon 
the stones is easily accomplished. Finally, 
a vision of the Statue of Liberty appears 
at the entrance to earth's Promised 
Land. For a brief moment, Nehemiah 
extends both hands as if in joyous greet- 
ing to the womanly traits of love and ten- 
derness, typified in this statue which must 
eventually spiritualize the universe; and 
as he reaches out his hands, the very 
stones about him fall of themselves to 
pieces as if made ready for use without 
human effort. All about Nehemiah, the 
other slaves who behold no vision, are 
moaning bitterly over their tasks. San- 
ballat, Geshem, and Tobiah discern Ne- 
hemiah's joy and work. Together they 
plan to further punish Nehemiah. Dur- 
ing this scene, no word is spoken.) 

159 



CANTICLE XI 

"There Is Nothing Covered, That Shall 
Not Be Revealed" 

Description: Same as Canticle I. The Per- 
sian Court. 

Discovered: King Artaxerxes and Queen 
on throne. Royal festivities. 
A strange Cupbearer is 
serving wine. 

Time : Nine years later than Canticle 

VIII. 

The King 
(to Messenger) 
And so Sanballat comes to us to-day? 

Messenger 
(to King) 
Blest King, Sanballat comes, and Geshem, 
too. 

The King 

(observing the new Cupbearer as he goes 
about his task serving wine — to Messen- 
ger) 

Tell me, how is my Cupbearer of time long 
past? 

160 



Messenger 
(to King) 
Nehemiah? 

King and Queen 
(eagerly, together) 
Nehemiah. 

Messenger 
Tis true to watch and pray 
And work, is all he ever seeks to do. 

The King 
Some one has said his peace and joy e'er last. 

Messenger 
Tis very true ; the hardest, roughest task 
Is not too much, indeed, for him to ask 
To do. 

The King 

Where is he working now, my son? 

Messenger 

(to King) 

He toils within thy quarries, till the sun 

Sinks low. Thou dost, blest King of Persia, 

know 
That he was doomed with convict-slaves to 

give 
His days to crushing stones, that he might 

live, 
Or merely might exist through days of woe, — 
This was his punishment, my Lord and King. 
Because Sanballat said he sought to bring 

161 



Himself to higher power, — to rule, perchance, 
Within Jerusalem. 

The King 
(pondering) 

He has had chance 
To murmur (thinking deeply) Yea, I know 

that he was sent 
To toil on yonder pile of stones, till bent 
And old he should become. 

(As if arousing to new interest.) 

Does he complain ? 

Messenger 

Not at his work! He holds as richest gain 

A task that takes all courage. There are 

days 
When those who watch him toil say that he 

prays 
Unceasingly. 

The King 
What is his prayer? 

Messenger 
That fortified Jerusalem may stand. 

The King 
Would he return? 

Messenger 
Of this he does not pray. He ofttimes says 
With deepest love, that God in His own ways 
Must keep Jerusalem — shall guard it well- 
That God is King, alone. 

162 



The King 
And does he tell 
Of his own wondrous work upon the wall? 

Messenger 
Not once. He always prays no stone may 

fall. 
(Enter Sanballat and Geshem with sev- 
eral attendants. They all kneel before the 
King and Queen. The King gives them 
all permission to arise.) 
The King 
(to Sanballat and Geshem) 
Governors, thy wishes? 

Sanballat 

We came to say 
The punishment thou gav'st still does not 

stay 
His joy. 

The King 
What meanest thou? Speak on. 

Sanballat 
Nine years ago, we came and told thee, King, 
Of one knave Nehemiah. We would bring 
Thee safety, King, again to-day. Ye gave 
A punishment to him, nine years ago 
Because he sought to make himself a knave 
In trying to be king. I told thee this, 
I come once more to tell thee, thou shouldst 
know 

163 



He truly seems to love the task that thou 
Hast given him for punishment, and now 
It would seem wise to change his work again, 
And give him duties that would cause him 
pain. 

The King 

(incredulously) 

Thou sayest he loves his toil as felon slave? 

Geshem 

(to King) 

He truly does! Ha, ha, (scornfully) he is a 

knave. 

The King 

(thoughtfully) 

What shall I give him, then, to do that he 

May still be punished for disloyalty? 

Sanballat 

(wickedly) 

It may seem strange, indeed, to thee, blest 

King, 
But I have thought it would be suffering 
For him, if thou wouldst bring him unto 

thee, 
Within thy court, and offer fealty 
And homage to him, give him ease and gain. 
I know him well! (chuckling) I'm sure, to 

him, 'twere pain 
To idle festive hours away in ease. 
I surely know, he would not relish these 

164 



Gay feasting days of Court life. Ah, I know 
To him it would be misery and woe. 
The King 
(doubtfully) 
To him it would be misery and woe? 
Sanballat 
(with decision) 
To him, it would be misery and woe. 
The King 
(to Court Messengers) 
Bring Nehemiah, and each convict slave 
Who toils on yonder pile. It is the hour 
Of day when each is coming from his work. 
Geshem 
(delightedly) 
Ah, we shall see again that fool and knave 
Who loves his labor. King, increase thy 

power, 
And give him work that he will loathe and 

shirk, — 
Give Nehemiah work that he will hate ! 
Sanballat 
(to King) 
'Twould be just punishment. Why longer 

wait? 
(Enter Messengers and several galley slaves, 
including the overseer of the squad of 
toilers.) 

165 



Messenger 

(to King) 

Thy subjects, King of Persia, now are here. 

(pointing to slaves) 

Overseer 
(explaining to King) 
Save Nehemiah; he had work o'er there, 
Upon yon pile of stones. He ever stays 
Long past the hours of all his working days. 
I say, "Enough's enough!" We toil all day, 
Yea, thirteen hours, — more than this time, 

I say 
We cannot serve ! The hours are very long 
Except for — 

(smiling tenderly with loving, parental ex- 
pression as he thinks of Nehemiah) 

him who always works with song 
Upon his lips. For him, the day is ever very 

brief ; 
But for the rest of us, 

(with wave of hand he indicates the 
slaves about him) 

King, our grief 
Is very great! 

The King 
(addressing the other slaves) 
My men, and what say'st thou? 

166 



Men 
(almost moaning) 
King, for the rest of us, our misery- 
Is very great. 

Sanballat 
(eagerly) 
I told thee so, my King ! 
This Nehemiah should have suffering, 
Deep suffering, and pain, and want, and woe ! 
Geshem 
(to King) 
This man who sought to be a King should 

know 
The pangs of hell. His work should day by 

day 
Be weary burden wearing life away. 
The King 
(to Messenger) 
Bring Nehemiah, tell him I send word 
For him to come at once, — let this be heard. 
(exit Messenger hastily) 
(to Sanballat and Geshem with tone 
indicating doubt) 
I took thy oaths, my Governors, the day 
I sent him to yon stone pile. Now the way 
Grows complicated. What am I to do 
To punish him? It may, indeed, be true 
He hath not yet atoned ; and, yet, I trust, 
We have judged righteous judgment. Ah, 

167 



we must 
Ask Nehemiah's God this time to tell 
Just what is right to do, — that which is well. 
(The King bows his head a moment, as if in 
prayer. The Queen, also, bows her head 
reverently. Sanballat and Geshem 
shift from one foot to another, clear their 
throats, and appear annoyed.) 
Sanballat 
(anxiously interrupting, to King) 
The question is a simple one. I know 
An easy life at Court would bring him woe. 
(enter Nehemiah) 
Nehemiah 
(he has grown older yet more radiant; he is 
dressed as a rough workman) 
(joyously) 
King, hast thou sent for me to come, I pray? 

The King 
(Appears deeply moved. The Queen looks 
at Nehemiah with the tender expression 
of a mother.) 
Yea, Prince, (pauses as if embarrassed) I 
sent for thee — (hesitatingly) for thee — 
to say 
That thou shalt live in ease within my sight, 
As royal Cupbearer. Thou may'st begin 
To choose thine own attendants. Bring the 
ring 

168 



And royal robe (to attendant) . 

(Attendant brings at once a costly satin robe 
of many colors and places the garment 
tenderly in Nehemjah's hands. Nehe- 
MIAH drops the robe quickly to the ground 
and covers his face with his hands as if 
grieved.) 

Thou shalt have riches, honor, power, might. 

(Nehemiah picks the robe up from the floor 
as if fulfilling a duty. He shudders as his 
rough hands touch the soft satin.) 

Why speakest thou not to me? Hast thou 
naught 

To say, thou menial slave, with ransom 
bought 

And paid for by thy King? Wouldst thou 
not come 

And serve as Cupbearer within my home 

And court? 

Nehemiah 

(to King while he looks longingly toward 
the Overseer) 

King, there is much to do, as he (indicating 
Overseer) can tell. 

I should not leave my work. 'Twould not be 
well 

With thee (to Overseer) and all thy men 

(turning to slaves) 

(Nehemiah, still holding the costly robe, 

169 



stands among the toilers. Unthinkingly, 

he begins stroking the soft satin garment. 

His hands, rough with toil, catch harshly 

on the soft satin. He shudders. To King.) 
Blest King, my very hands are hardened now 
To toil, — to roughest work. Why should I 

cease 
My labors? There are those to serve, I vow, 
Much fitter, in this Court. Pray, call on 

these, 
And let me go. Blest King, (pleadingly) 

they're needing me, 
These men (indicating slaves) are not so 

strong as I. 

Ah, see 

My brawny arms ! (bares his muscular arms) 

The Overseer 

(to King) 

My King, one word, 

When he (indicating Nehemiah) first came 

to me, I, too, had heard 
How he bad sought to be a king o'er there, 
Within Jerusalem. I took great care 
To make his punishment full hard, King. 
I heaped upon him curses ! Suffering 
Became his daily portion ! Yea, I know 
He had full measure in his meed of woe. 
I hated him! And why? — I cannot tell, — 
I longed to see him suffer pangs of hell. 

170 



Queen and King 
(eagerly t as if suffering) 
And did he suffer? 

Overseer 
At first, there were days 
When all his stones seemed mountains. 

Bitter ways, 
My King, belong unto the felon-slave. 
Well doth he pay for all the hours he gave 
To sin. 

The King 
(to Overseer) 
And this man (indicating Nehemiah), did 
he murmur much? 

Overseer 
(to King) 
Ah, no, my King, I never have seen such 
As he ! With every stone he toiled to break, 
It fairly seemed, he did arise, awake, 
To higher things ! My King, I cannot lend 
Him even unto thee — he is our friend ! 
(the Overseer and slaves crowd lovingly 

about Nehemiah) 
(Startled) Ah, what have I said? Shall I be 

punished more? 
I told the truth but did not think before 
I spoke ! 

King 
(to all — with firmness) 

171 



But I have spoken, and my word 

Is first and last our law, — it must be heard! 

Sanballat) 

(laughing wickedly, — to Geshem) 

His (indicating Nehemiah) happy days, I 

know, are truly past, 
We have accomplished all we wish at last ! 
King 
(to Nehemiah) 
Speak up, and tell me — what hast thou to 

say 
About thy work? 

Nehemiah 
(to King) 
My King, just now, the way 
Is very bright for me, upon yon pile 
Of stones ; if I might work there for a while 

(pleadingly) 
I know that I might help these men (indica- 
ting slaves). I stand 
Ready to serve, my King (pleadingly). We 

have had good 
Days yonder ! (As if pointing to stone pile.) 

If one only understood! (earnestly) 
(Regretfully) If I should — come — (slowly) 

— to thee — I know — that — I — 
Can do no more than come, alas, and try 
To serve thee well. (As if convincing himself 
of a duty.) 

172 



King 
Hast thou forgotten, pray 
Doth memory recall that long past day 
Thou wrought upon the towering walls that 

stand 
About Jerusalem? 

Nehemiah 
(joyoitsly) 
Ah, King, my hand 
Still builds those walls. 
King 
(startled) 
Thy hand still builds those walls? 
Nehemiah 
(to King) 
Ah, yes, blest King, and not a stone e'er falls. 
Each rock I crush o'er there, it is, indeed, 
For these redeemed captives. Yea, their 

need 
Is yet my prayer, King. 
King 
(eagerly) 

And wouldst thou go 
To view those walls again? Speak, let me 

know! 

(Leans forward eagerly. Nehemiah kneels 

at feet of King.) 

Sanballat and Geshem 

(afraid) 

173 



King, why speakest thou so? Art thou, then, 

mad? 
This is his wish to go, — his prayer, ah, had — 
We our own way — 

King 
( interrupting, firmly ) 
Hold, fools! I listened once 
To all thou hadst to say. I, too, was dunce 
And knave, indeed, to heed thy foolish lies! 
This man, (bending forward, as he tenderly 
places his hand on Nehemiah's bowed 
head) is Prince, indeed; yea, he may rise 
And go again to view those walls. His creed 
Of kingship is to meet each human need 
With love. He truly was a king o'er there, 
E'en at Jerusalem, and monarch where 
Those felon-slaves were toiling day by day. 
To be a king is just to watch and pray! 
I see it now, yea, all is very plain; 
He seeks no earthly kingship. No, nor gain 
Is there for him in title when he knows 
The joy of daily work where'er he goes. 
(Summons messengers and whispers direc- 
tions. They chain Sanballat and Ge- 
shem together. They are roughly dragged 
from the stage.) 

(To Sanballat and Geshem) 
Go forth from me! Thy faces nevermore 
Shall look on mine ! Go forth, the open door 

174 



Of hades waits for every cursed lie 

That would besmirch true manhood. They 

shall die, — 
These falsehoods, every one, but man is free, 
Born of one true Creator, God, is he! 
Such is the teaching of his ministry; {indi- 
cating Nehemiah.) 
Thou shalt be punished. All that thou hast 

said, 
Each idle word thou uttered stand'st as curse 
Of wrong before thee. Yea, thou shalt be fed 
By jealousy. Ah, could'st thou suffer worse? 
(Sanballat and Geshem with heads bowed 

in shame depart. They are bound between 

two messengers.) 
{To Nehemiah, waving him permission to 

arise.) 
To-morrow, thou and I, and all these men, 

{indicating slaves) 
With our blest Queen, and Court, shall go 

again 
To see Jerusalem. 

Nehemiah 

(to King; 

{gratefully) 

Blest King, our gain 
Shall be to find those walls still strongly 

stand, — 
This is our kingdom, Sire. 

175 



King 
(to Nehemiah) 

I pledge my hand 
That I regret those long and bitter days 
That thou hast toiled on pile of stones. The 

ways 
Of blind revenge are hard, indeed, to bear. 

(Weeps.) 

Nehemiah 
My King, I pray thee, do not have a care 
For those days; they were sweet, indeed, to 

me, — 
Those blessed hours I knew that I might be 
A friend to all I wrought with. Even, then, 
As slaves condemned, we still were friends 

and — men. 
Jerusalem ! (Extending his arms as if to an 

invisible City.) I see thy walls again, 
Rising about me. Father, (eyes raised to 

heaven) I am blest 
With all thine hand hath given me! I pray 
To thank Thee ever on my homeward way. 
Jerusalem, I saw thy walls arise 
Above yon pile of stones ! King, my surprise 
Was very great when I, awake, didst see 
The heavenly city come to set me free 
From all my weary toil and suffering! 
Ah, thou shalt see Jerusalem, my King! 
The new Jerusalem, with walls built high, — 

176 



High unto heaven that he who passeth by 
May see the captive now is safe, indeed, 
Within the city, coming down from heaven, 
The city, founded peaceably, and given 
To Love and Life and joy and work; yea, 

these 
Are its foundation stones. The God of peace 
Hath built Jerusalem! And, over all, 
The Father watcheth tenderly! The wall 
Of his protecting love stands strong and true 
About the remnant ! Israel's captive Jew 
Hath been redeemed! He is not bond, nor 

free, 
Nor male, nor female, Jew, nor Greek is he ! 
Messiah's hope shall free! Ah, we shall see 

(to all, as if prophesying) 
Jerusalem ! Father, thanks be to Thee. 



177 



CANTICLE XII. 

Casting Out Selfishness, Lethargy, and 
Idolatry. Salvation. 

Description: Same as Canticle VIII. 

Discovered : All the people gathered before 
the walls at mid-day. 

Time: Ten days later. 

All 
(intoning) 

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness 
thereof ; 

The world, and they that dwell therein. 

For he hath founded it upon the seas, 

And established it upon the floods. 

Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? 

And who shall stand in his holy place? 

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart ; 

Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, 

And hath not sworn deceitfully. 

He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, 

And righteousness from the God of his sal- 
vation. 

Lift up your heads, ye gates; 

And be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors: 

And the King of glory will come in. 

Who is the King of glory? 

The Lord strong and mighty, 

The Lord mighty in battle. 

Lift up your heads, ye gates ; 

173 



Yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors: 

And the King of glory shall come in. 

Who is the King of glory? 

The Lord of hosts, 

He is the King of glory." (Psalm 24.) 
Ezra 

(Reading, before the people, from Isaiah 
52:1.) 

"Awake, awake ; put on thy strength, Zion ; 

put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, 

the holy city; for henceforth there shall no 

more come into thee the uncircumcised and 

the unclean." 

(Closes the book, and turning, looks intently 
at the temple. All the people look toward 
the temple. Eliashib is seen running up 
and down the steps of the temple carry- 
ing armsful of Tobiah's personal belong- 
ings, such as robes, caps, shoes, etc. Some 
of these belongings he occasionally drops, 
and they are carelessly strewn about the 
temple steps. ) 

(Turning about and addressing the people.) 

Our friend, Cupbearer of the King, returns 
to-day. 

All 
(shouting gladly) 

Ah ha, he comes — he comes — the way 

Of peace is Nehemiah's. 

179 



(Eliashib is busied in the door of the 

temple with his own personal work.) 

Ezra 

(disapprovingly to Eliashib) 

A good word 
Hast thou to say to him? 
Eliashib 
(carelessly to Ezra) 
Yea, I have wrought 

Within this temple, just as he has taught. 
Ezra 
(to Eliashib) 
For thyself, alone, hast wrought? 
Eliashib 
(to Ezra) 
At times, 'tis true. 
All work may not be given for Greek and 

Jew. 
(Hanani and Hananiah are sleeping 
soundly at one end of the porch of the 
temple. Sleep, in dull colors, is watching 
jealously over them.) 
Ezra 
(pointing derisively toward the sleepers) 
Yet they were truly left in charge! Yon 

temple wall 
They have not guarded. Sleep on, should 

they fall, 
Would they awake? (The sleepers, breath- 

180 



ing heavily, move, in their sleep, over 
very near the edge of the porch.) Ah, 
lethargy, I know 

Of none more deadly enemy and foe ! (point- 
ing toward sleepers) 

Nor home, nor church thou guardest when 
with sleep 

Thine eyes are heavy. A still small voice 
will come, 

And sadly say: "Couldst thou not watch 
one hour, 

And keep a loving guard o'er church and 
home?" 

(A loud blare of trumpets is heard without. 
Enter chariots and drivers, Court attend- 
ants, King Artaxerxes and Queen, for- 
mer slaves dressed as nobles. Nehemiah 
enters last, accompanied by the five beau- 
tiful women, Intuition, Gratitude, Pa- 
tience, Charity, and Wakefulness.) 
Nehemiah 
(to All) 

Greeting, my friends. (All bow reverently.) 

The walls (examining walls carefully) still 
stand, I see. 

I thank thee for thy true fidelity! (Again 
bows to all.) 

(At this moment, Eliashib emerges from 
the temple, carrying softest of down pil- 

181 



lows, images, robes, and many personal 
belongings. Nehemiah discerns this pro- 
ceeding, and bounding up the steps of the 
temple, seizes Eliashib, and shakes him 
energetically) . 

So thou (scornfully) 
Hast prepared for thee a great chamber, 
Where aforetime our fathers laid their meat 

offerings, 
The frankincense, and the vessels, and the 

tithes of the corn, 
The new wine and the oil, which was com- 
manded to be given to the Levites, and 
the singers, and the porters ; 
And the offerings of the priests? 
(turning to the King) 
Artaxerxes. king of Babylon, 
Thou bearest witness, in all this time, 
I was not at Jerusalem. 

The King 
(to Nehemiah) 
I bear witness, Nehemiah, my Cupbearer. 
Nehemiah 
(to Queen) 
0, thou noble Queen of Babylon, 
Thou bearest witness, in all this time, 
I was not at Jerusalem. 
Queen 
(to Nehemiah) 



182 



I bear witness, Nehemiah, King's Cupbearer. 

Nehemiah 

(to Court) 

Worthy Court of Artaxerxes Longimanus, 

and the Queen of Babylon, 
Thou bearest witness, in all this time, 
I was not at Jerusalem. 

The Court 
(together) 
We bear witness with our King and Queen. 
Nehemiah 
(sadly) 
To-day I have found the temple profaned ; 
They have entered as thieves in God's sight. 
(Tobiah, hearing the conversation without, 
comes to the door of the temple, and 
yawns as if awakened from a long sleep,) 
For themselves 

(Pointing derisively to Eliashib and 
Tobiah.) 
they have wrought, but naught have 
they gained 
For God is the Lord of right. 
For themselves they have wrought, but 

naught have they gained, 
For our God is the Lord of right. 
(Nehemiah enters the temple, and return- 
ing again to the door, casts out, far be- 
yond the wall, the household stuff of Eli- 

183 



ashib and Tobiah. Both men steal to 
one side of the stage. Nehemiah com- 
mands servants to come with water for 
cleansing. During this process, the sing- 
ers flee from the stage, every one return- 
ing to his own field.) 

(to the King) 
I perceive that the portions of the Levites 
Have not been given them. (Looking about 

where the singers stood.) 
For the Levites and the singers that did the 

work 
Are fled every one to his field. 
(Addressing the rulers, and pointing toward 

the empty temple.) 
Why is the house of God forsaken? 
(Bows his head and weeps.) 
Rulers 
(nonplussed) 
Why is the house of God forsaken? 
Nehemiah 
(to rulers) 
Is it not that they who would own this sacred 
place (points derisively to Eliashib and 
Tobiah who are seeking to hide) 
Have driven those who work without, and 

they 
Would own outright all goodness and all 
grace, 

184 



As if they could be purchased? Let them 

pay 
The price of sorrow ! 

(Drives Eliashib and Tobiah away. They 
leave sorrowfully, carrying quantities of 
personal belongings.) 
Rulers 
(repeating with emphasis) 

Let them pay 
The price of sorrow! 

Nehemiah 
(Observing Hanani and Hananiah, sleep- 
ing, while Sleep watchfully guards them.) 
Why is mankind so loath to keep awake? 
Is God not good to think of? Why, then, 

sleep 
Away one's precious hours? Arise, and shake 
(goes to edge of porch and gives men 
vigorous shaking) 
This cursed lethargy aside. Yea, keep 
The faith, and thou shalt richly bless, indeed, 
All men, if wakefulness be thy one creed. 
(Both men wake. Exit Sleep very quietly.) 

(to Messenger) 
Call all Judah, (gladly) let them bring 
The tithe of corn and new wine, 
And oil to fill our empty treasuries ; 
Let them gather the fruit from the field and 
vine, 

185 



That our God in heaven we please ! 

(Exit Messenger.) 
(Nehemiah singles out Shemaiah, the 

priest, Zadok, the Scribe, and Pedaiah 

of the Levites, and Hanan, and summons 

them about him,) 
Thou hast been faithful, for thou 
Hast distributed unto thy brethren. 
(Enter men and women and children. They 

are all carrying baskets of corn and wine 

and oil.) 

All 
We come, blest Nehemiah, here to-day 
To praise the King of kings and watch and 

pray. 
(Enter men with ware, selling fish. They go 

directly to the nobles and give them their 

earnings.) 

Nehemiah 
(to the Nobles) 
"What evil thing is this that ye do, 
And profane the Sabbath day?" 
(Nobles quickly cast coins to the ground. 

Darkness seems to creep on suddenly, as 

if a storm were rising. The gates are 

open. Nehemiah gives orders that they 

shall be closed.) 
Let all the gates be shut this night, 
And opened not till after the Sabbath day. 

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All 
(together) 
Let all the gates be shut! 
(The iron gates swing forcefully shut, and as 
they close the setting sun shines forth 
with ivondrous splendor.) 
Nehemiah 
(firmly to those who sell fish) 
Why lodg'st thou about the wall ? What right 
Hast thou to profane the Sabbath day? 
There remaineth a rest, a Sabbath rest, 
A quiet hour of meekness truly blest 
When we work for God alone. 
(The fishmongers cast their baskets aside 

and earnestly listen to Nehemiah.) 
(Enter several young men talking to young 
women of foreign birth. The women have 
low, degraded appearance. They are all 
intoxicated. Loud, coarse jesting and vul- 
gar caressing.) 

The Young Men 
(to Nehemiah) 
Nehemiah, (laughing boisterously) our 
wives of foreign birth ! 
Nehemiah 
(sadly) 
And thou, now (to several) 
Wouldst wed strange wives? (To another 
young man) and thou (to another) and 

187 



thou? 

Strange fancies have we when we seek our 
own, 

And not another's good. None can atone 

For wrong; forever it is cast without, 

With "dogs, and sorcerers," with creeds and 
doubts ! 

Strange wives, strange creeds, strange gods, 
strange idle prayers, 

Strange deprivations, strange diseases, 
cares ! 

(The women of strange birth slip quietly 
from the stage. The daughters of Shal- 
LUM silently take their places. The peo- 
ple with baskets of corn and wine and oil 
on their arms sing together.) 
All 

(The people walk in groups on the tower- 
ing heights of the walls. See J. James 
Tissot's Bible illustration, u The Proces- 
sion on the Walls of Jerusalem" p. 544. 
They read as they walk. Each one holds 
two books of the Law, one in the right 
hand and one in the left. The last rays 
of the setting sun shine softly over the 
procession of singers.) 

(Singing together.) 

"Create in me a clean heart, God ; 

And renew a right spirit within me. 

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Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation ; 
And uphold me with a willing spirit. 
Thou delightest not in sacrifice; 
Thou hast no pleasure in burnt offerings. 
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit : 
A broken and a contrite heart, God, Thou 

wilt not despise. 
Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion : 
Built Thou the walls of Jerusalem. 
Build Thou the walls of Jerusalem." 

Nehemiah 
(hands uplifted to heaven — to the men and 

women on the heights of the walls) 
"Remember me, my God, concerning this, 
And wipe not out my good deeds that I have 

done 
For the house of my God, and for the offices 

thereof — 
Remember me, my God, for good." 
For I, as the King's Cupbearer, 
Bring peace and joy to earth. 
Yea, I, as the King's Cupbearer, 
Herald mankind's new birth. 
I phophesy peace, salvation. 
Jerusalem, saved, begins 
To mould the world in one nation 
And cleanse earth's temple of sins — 
Sins that have stirred through malice 
Earth's nations to war and hate. 



Jerusalem holds the chalice 

Of love at her heavenly gate. 

Within Jerusalem, all men shall be 

Both male and female, sinless, deathless, free. 

(The five beautiful women standing on the 
highest point of the walls look tenderly 
down to Nehemiah. They typify col- 
lectively that which, according to the Sha- 
vian quotation previously given, repre- 
sents an "eternal womanly principle in 
the universe." As these women walk 
upon the walls, they are intently reading 
two books of the Laiv which they hold 
aloft in either hand before them. Bril- 
liant rays of the setting sun light up 
the pages of the open books.) 

"Our feet shall stand within thy gates, 
Jerusalem. 

Jerusalem is builded as a city that is com- 
pact together ; 

Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the 
Lord, 

Unto the testimony of Israel, 

To give thanks unto the name of the Lord. 

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem : 

They shall prosper that love thee." 

(Psalm 122.) 

The End. 

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